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Environmental Decision-making:Whose Agenda?
Despite revisions in the environment impact assessment notification in 2006, the deficiencies have not been overcome. As a result, environment impact assessments, which assess a project by technical means as well as public opinion, are hardly thought of as important decision-making tools.
On September 14, 2006, the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) issued the new environment impact assessment notification, which replaced the 1994 version that had undergone 12 amendments. With this came into force a new process for the grant of environment clearance to development and indus- trial projects. Even before the draft notification was issued, both the process of drawing the draft and content of the proposed law had come under severe criticism by civil society organisations, people’s movements, academics and researchers. Several parliamentarians joined hands with the Campaign for Environmental Justice India and supported concerns about the lack of a transparent and consultative process und ertaken by the MoEF to draft and finalise the new 2006 notifica- tion, a legislation that has the potential to affect people’s livelihoods, natural resources and ecological well-being of the country.
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Environment Clearance Process
Dear Reader,
