New Delhi: Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, for raising objections over the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 notification, by calling them "unnecessary" and "premature".
"Those raising objections to draft EIA notification are the same people who took big decisions without consultations when they were in power," said Javadekar to the media.
Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, tweeted, "EIA 2020 draft must be withdrawn to stop #LootOfTheNation and environmental destruction." In addition to that, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh had also written letters to Javadekar while appealing him to scrap EIA 2020.
Also read: EIA 2020 draft's objective is 'loot of the nation', must be withdrawn: Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi also shared a Facebook post, on Sunday, calling EIA 2020 draft "disgraceful" and "dangerous", while urging the youth of the nation to raise their voice against it. He said, "If EIA 2020 is notified by the government, the long-term consequences of the widespread environmental degradation will be catastrophic for us and future generations of Indians."
When asked about the matter, Javadekar replied, "Saw reactions of some leaders demanding protest against the EIA draft. How can they protest against the draft? It is not a final notification. It was kept for public consultation for 150 days because of COVID-19. Otherwise, it is only 60 days as per rules."
He further added, "We have received thousands of suggestions which we welcome. We will consider the suggestions, then take a call and come out with a final draft. So, people jumping just on the draft is not a fair practice. Those who want to protest now, during their regime, took many of the big decisions without consultations. It is unnecessary and premature."
In a recent online discussion of Congress' research department, Jairam Ramesh had alleged that the recent EIA draft is "degrading" environmental laws, saying, "The fundamental guiding principle of this draft EIA 2020 notification is Ease of Doing Business, not Environmental Regulations."
