2) About 60,000 km2 of natural landscape (approximately 37% of the total
geographical area of Western Ghats Region) has been identified as
Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) by HLWG
Based on my critique of (1), this will stand corrected.
3) MoEF should put the ESA map in the public domain, which will enable
scrutiny and transparency in decisions.
Absolutely no problem at all.
4) HLWG is recommending a prohibitory and regulatory regime in ESA for
those activities with maximum interventionist and destructive impact on the
ecosystem. All other infrastructure development activities, necessary for the
region, will be carefully scrutinized and assessed for cumulative impact and
development needs, before clearance.
I don't even know what this means. I will be surprised if HLWG itself can give more clarity into this. Here is a problem with statements like this: who gets to define "maximum interventionist and destructive" practices? Vagueness is deliberately introduced so that Beaurocrats and Politicians can milk the people to the maximum. CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) always have a typical statement - "Government needs to give clarity in policies, only then investors are going to come in" or something like that. Why is it that clarity is missing in such an important report? Is it because the people in Western Ghats does not wear suit?
geographical area of Western Ghats Region) has been identified as
Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) by HLWG
Based on my critique of (1), this will stand corrected.
3) MoEF should put the ESA map in the public domain, which will enable
scrutiny and transparency in decisions.
Absolutely no problem at all.
4) HLWG is recommending a prohibitory and regulatory regime in ESA for
those activities with maximum interventionist and destructive impact on the
ecosystem. All other infrastructure development activities, necessary for the
region, will be carefully scrutinized and assessed for cumulative impact and
development needs, before clearance.
I don't even know what this means. I will be surprised if HLWG itself can give more clarity into this. Here is a problem with statements like this: who gets to define "maximum interventionist and destructive" practices? Vagueness is deliberately introduced so that Beaurocrats and Politicians can milk the people to the maximum. CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) always have a typical statement - "Government needs to give clarity in policies, only then investors are going to come in" or something like that. Why is it that clarity is missing in such an important report? Is it because the people in Western Ghats does not wear suit?
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