"Adarsh" example of (in)effectiveness of EIA

MoEF's intervention and the order for demolition of the building proves many things:

Ineffectiveness of the entire process of EIA / CRZ.
Ineffectiveness of the system in which the CRZ / EC and EIA are operational.
Looking back at current events particularly in Maharashtra we have three examples where the process has seen troubles Mumbai Airport, Adarsh and Lavassa City. This goes to prove that the procedure has not accounted certain things.
It might be harsh to put in words but Maharashtra is either having troubles in implementation or the issues highlighted from other parts of the country are not seen so critically by media.
One sided and personalized views of committee and its members.

The other discussion initiated by Dr Modak has also pointed at the same thing.

Dr Modak has been extremely liberal in views. The issues which have been highlighted to us in the recent past point the finger only at one thing - THE FUTILITY OF PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN PROPAGATED. THE ENTIRE PROCESS HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A SET OF EMPS RELEVANT TO THE ASPECTS.

We see that only Government officials are at the root of the failures in most cases. This is due to the fact that procedures are stipulated in a manner where people who temper these procedures are not traced easily. The entire process of clearance since 2006 has been seen by project proponets as a hurdle and not as a tool owing to the results.

To put an example one PP got say 27 TORs from X consultant (PP may be a PSU), the other PP received 31 TORs from Y consultant (PP may be a SSI) considered that Y had hired cheapest consultant around. Efforts required to comply would be more or less the same.

Then where is the elite class of consultant required when the result is expected to be the same.

Reduction in procedural intricacies can reduce the fatigue to PP. We need to learn lessons on either sides of the process.

Dear Mr Dwivedi,

You have rightly pointed out many things relevant to EIA and projects. The root cause lies with the culture of the country. Thugs and pindaras of various hues are living and ruling the country. With poor countries, corruption is the key to amassing wealth. Acts and rules are only meant for ordinary law-abiding mortals. PPs are powerful at every level and they collaborate with with the ruling gang and finally become rulers themselves. They are insecure in this country (except for amassing wealth) and deposit their money in banks abroad. Smaller fish stay back here with their (environmental) loots. EIA or good quality EMP alone cannot save our environment.

Regarding Adarsh (an ideal name to mock the project) and Lavasa City are two visible projects. There are thousands of violations of Forest, CRZ and EIA notifications committed by many people in the sections of our society. Who should initiate prosecution against them - the same people who have connived with them. Who will loose if the violations are razed down - the poor man's bank because all the investments are either raised from banks or from illegitimate earnings.

So the problem is not with EIA, but with the people.

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Comments

Prasad Madhav Modak January 24, 2011 at 4:16am

Ajay

I presume we all know the problem. We have been reiterating these ...

Let us work together now on how to address them.

Best regards

Prasad Modak
Ajay B Dwivedi January 20, 2011 at 3:26am

Dr Pillai,

The last sentence says it all.
Prof Dr V N Sivasankara Pillai January 20, 2011 at 2:44am

Dear Mr Dwivedi,

You have rightly pointed out many things relevant to EIA and projects. The root cause lies with the culture of the country. Thugs and pindaras of various hues are living and ruling the country. With poor countries, corruption is the key to amassing wealth. Acts and rules are only meant for ordinary law-abiding mortals. PPs are powerful at every level and they collaborate with with the ruling gang and finally become rulers themselves. They are insecure in this country (except for amassing wealth) and deposit their money in banks abroad. Smaller fish stay back here with their (environmental) loots. EIA or good quality EMP alone cannot save our environment.

Regarding Adarsh (an ideal name to mock the project) and Lavasa City are two visible projects. There are thousands of violations of Forest, CRZ and EIA notifications committed by many people in the sections of our society. Who should initiate prosecution against them - the same people who have connived with them. Who will loose if the violations are razed down - the poor man's bank because all the investments are either raised from banks or from illegitimate earnings.

So the problem is not with EIA, but with the people.
GOPI KANTA GHOSH January 17, 2011 at 6:04am

Deliberate neglect in the land of corruption
Ajay B Dwivedi January 17, 2011 at 5:59am

the spontaneous reactions reflect how involved we are with the profession and need to share ideas without reservations. Mr Mehra's comment reveals that negligence is is palpable at all levels. I personally agree that many projects in Rajasthan have not seen the process.

As Prof Pandey has pointed correctly, not to be obedient to Laws is absolutely human for a common man. Framing legal statute of convenience is smartness. Breaking of Laws by Law Makers is non-democratic.

Any scientific procedure once set has to be left scientific. Ethics of business will take care of the rest. Trouble comes only when professional interests start overriding the scientific interests. If you compare in terms of academics all our projects are a dissertation. The conclusion at the end may be what you like and can be other way too.

I beleive in finding ways or making them with the destination known. We are trying to build a highway to good environment without having an all weather road. Need of the hour is proceeding step by step. Let us build a good code of ethics before running to discuss ethics and business.
Satya Prakash Mehra January 17, 2011 at 5:36am

In the present scenario, EIA is as according to the launching project. In many cases nobody knows when EIA was done. I could state many such examples from Udaipur (Rajasthan, India) where EIA has given faulty information provided to the state government. Now, whom to blame..... the EIA specialists/ panels/ government procedure/ negligence of the officials or other.... But in my personal views I would like to state that it is all of ours (persons involved in or working for Environment Protection/ Nature Conservation) responsibility... we have to raise the issue in front of mass to let them know the reality timely through media or through networking ......
abdul fasi January 17, 2011 at 5:08am

In many of the cases of assessment is technical & the ethical part.always we cant blame environmentalscientists for all failures. really we can learn from the above said incidents. but if you want to go as per ethics some one other will do damage to you work. so we should take out all hindrances in our hirarchial system. now a days red tapism is most common in our system & interferance of some XYZ in the work. its spoling the work out come and vise versa .

we should not blame any one for this happing , we collectively trace out & correct the system with the help of our most honourable intellectuals.

Amitabh sir,its my humble request. please show the way to how to come out from this.
Prof Amitabh Pandey January 17, 2011 at 4:55am

The main issues in scientific assessment is the ethics of the scientist and which is emerging out of these finding. The method cannot be questioned, but value system of consultant therefore the discussion should focus on the values and ethics of the doers rather than the work done, after all it is human not abiding with the values for selfish goal yielding to environmental problems.

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