Page 3 - The Lotus (Nov-Dec 2020)

sustainable that exempted several gas started leaking
development large industries and from an Oil India
projects from public Limited oil well in
In the wake of the consultation, Bhagjan Assam. It
infamous Bhopal Gas particularly when there continued to leak till
Tragedy, the was a serious gas leak on June 9, it caught
Environment from (LG Polymers) fire, causing more than
Protection Act of 1986 chemical plant in 2,500 people who lived
under Article 253 of Visakhapatnam on about a kilometer from
the Constitution was May 12, 2020. the site, to evacuate.
enacted, and it became According to Indian The site is less than a
an umbrella legislation Express, which kilometer from Dibru
for environmental accessed documents Saikhowa National
protection in India. submitted to the Park and only 500
The EIA regulations in Andhra Pradesh metres from the
India emanate from Environment Impact wetland Maguri-
Section 3 of this very Assessment Authority, Motapung Beel. The
legislation. Section 3 LG Polymers admitted loss to biodiversity
gives authority to the that as of May 10, there and to the land
Union government to 2019, the unit did not itself is staggering.
take measures to have a “valid In May, Oil India
protect and improve environmental Limited received
the environment. The clearance environmental
new draft, however, substantiating the clearance for the
stands absolutely in produced quantity, drilling and testing of
contravention to the issued by the hydrocarbons in 7
essence of this section competent authority locations of the Dibru
and the Act as a whole. for continuing Saikhowa National
The new draft is also operations". For a Park (DSNP) from the

incongruous to Article substantial period MOEFCC (Ministry of
48A of the between 1997 and Environment, Forest,
Constitution that 2019, the unit, and Climate Change).
directs the State to operated by LG Loosening the grip on
protect and improve Polymers India, did not EIA sends out a very
the environment and to have the requisite clear message that the
safeguard the forests essential environment comes
and wildlife of the environmental secondary to profit, in
country. clearance to do so. our increasingly
Apart from this, it is EIA 2020 has certain capitalist-driven
also contrary to Article amendments that are economy. Hopefully,
21 of the Constitution positively frightening. when the oxygen runs
that recognises right to Time for clearance is out we'll be able to
environment as an reduced, past and breathe money.
integral part of right to future violations are
life and personal validated, and more Here’s what you can do:
liberty. power has been put in PETITIONS:
the hands of the people https://bit.ly/3miD6BY
The proposed EIA proposing the project https://bit.ly/3a80DTT

contains clauses that than the organizations VIDEOS:
obstruct people’s rights that are scientifically https://bit.ly/2LytVAW
to a safe, clean and collating https://bit.ly/2KrdGos
healthy environment. Environmental impact
These were the clauses data. On May 27 2020