5 Questions About Coal Block Auctions
Industry experts say things are getting muddled as the government tries to balance contrasting objectives Will the NDA's coal block auctions fix the mess in India's coal sector? With the draft rules of
M Rajshekhar
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Subramanian Panel Bats for New Green Norms
Proposes that a National Environment Management Authority be set up to approve projects & SPCBs be brought under it Belying the pessimism which surrounded its formation, a committee set up by the environment
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Sanitation, Trees Top MGNREGA Priority
Sanitation projects to reduce open defecation, increasing green cover and emphasis on creating assets form the crux of the Narendra Modi-led government's blueprint for redeploying UPA 's flagship social
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Real' Forests in India Half of Ministry Claims
India has no more than 3.3 lakh s land under real forests, less than number claimed by the Ministry ronment and Forest (MoEF) in th est survey released last week. Among other impacts, low for might
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Elections, Headless FSI Held up Forest Report
Green crusaders, however, believe forest destruction is a likely cause of delay Acrucial appointment and general elections have delayed the biennial government report on the state of Indian forests. This report, which was due in 2013, was first delayed because the Forest Survey of India (FSI), which conducts the survey, was headless for six months.And then, the ministry of environment held back the report, citing elections and Election Commission approval.
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Green Activists Offer Plan for New Environment Regulator
As an alternative to the ministry design, group outlines proposal for a more powerful authority Even as the ministry of environment met its March 31 deadline to submit a plan to the Supreme Court for a new environment regulator, a set of academics, activists and environmental lawyers have weighed in with their own design. Concerned that the ministry version “would not meet the minimum standards of an independent regulatory authority”, this set, called Watchdog and Action Group for the Environment, have proposed an authority that has greater powers and independence than the design outlined by the ministry.
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Gujarat HC Slams Green Ministry in Adani Order
Court asks ministry to look into APSEZ clearance issue within 30 days Monday’s order by the Gujarat High Court directing 12 units in the Mundra SEZ of the Adani Group to temporarily stop operations till the SEZ receives an environmental clearance is yet another indictment of the environment and forest ministry. The order, besides hauling up the Adani Group for allotting land to companies even before obtaining an environmental clearance for its SEZ complex at Mundra, highlights the ministry’s poor scrutiny of the project.
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Naysayers Doubt Effectiveness of Proposed Environmental Regulator
Environmentalists are sceptical of the new institution’s power to expedite projects After the Supreme Court ruling on Monday, it is now clear that India will soon have an independent environmental regulator. What is less clear is whether this regulator will be a watchdog with teeth or without. In environmental circles, the news was received with some scepticism.
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Adanis Challenge MoEF Fine for Environmental Violations
Adani Ports and SEZ has challenged the environment ministry’s decision to impose penalties on it for environmental violations, setting the stage for a faceoff between the government and the company, possibly
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MoEF Penalty on Adani Group Against Green Laws
MYSTERY MOVES Experts say environmental laws don’t give the ministry the powers to levy a fine; No explanation was given how the penalty of . 200 crore was arrived at By slapping a . 200-crore penalty on the Adani Group for environmental violations, the ministry of environment and forests may be breaking its own laws, say environmental lawyers.