Question

A high-level committee headed by the former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian has been constituted to review environmental regulation in India. According to terms of reference, the committee has reviewed which of the following environment laws

Choose the correct code:

• A. 1,2,3,4 and 5 only
• B. 1,3,4,5 and 6 only
• C. 1,3,4 and 6 only
• D. 2,3,4 and 5 only

Answer 1

The correct option is B

1,3,4,5 and 6 only

The six laws under review were: Indian Forest Act 1927, Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, Forest Conservation Act 1980, Environment (Protection) Act 1986. After holding consultations with the stakeholders, the committee has submitted its report in November 2014.

Key Recommendations

1. A new “umbrella” law by subsuming the existing environmental laws.
2. National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and State Environment Management Authority (SEMA)—are to be established at the Central and state levels respectively. They should evaluate project clearance (using technology and expertise), in a time bound manner, providing for single window clearance.
3. The existing Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) are proposed to be “subsumed” under NEMA and SEMA.
4. “Environment Reconstruction Fund” is proposed to be established
5. Protected areas and forests with over 70% of the tree coverage should be declared as ‘No GO’ areas.
6. Compensatory afforestation in the revenue land should be modified to 2:1 from the existing 1:1 ratio. The compensatory afforestation in degraded forest land should be modified to 3:1 from the existing 2:1 ratio.
7. An All India Service with name as ‘India Environment Service’ may be created.
8. Removing condition of gram sabha approval particularly for linear projects like roads, railways or transmission lines.