Draft paper on 'Monitoring Compliance of Environment / CRZ clearance conditions A New Approach'

Please consider signing this online petition drafted by the Environmental Support Group, who have been AID's partner for 10 years now (esgindia.org). This letter is regarding a 'Draft Paper' on 'Monitoring Compliance of Environment/CRZ clearance Conditions – A New Approach' drafted by an in-house Review Committee constituted on 25th August 2010 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The key appeals made, in addition to immediate extension of the deadline for comments on this paper to a later date (say three months from now), to the Ministry are to ensure:

1. The document is translated into all regional languages for wider public dissemination by all regional offices of MoEF and CPCB, all offices of State Pollution Control Boards, and all Environment Departments and related divisions across the country.
2. Sincere efforts should be made to encourage debate and discussion on this paper in every district across the country.
3. The Regional Offices of MoEF and CPCB, as well as PCB's and State Environment Departments must collaborate in joint or independent efforts to hold public consultations across the country.
4. Collated reports of such processes should be available for easy and systematic access through online systems on existing agency and department websites, and must be integrated into the 'discussion paper' before finalising this document.
5. The review of this process must be guided by an Independent Panel and not an in-house Committee as is presently the case. This Panel should be constituted with people of integrity from different disciplines and should have the freedom to hold nation-wide consultations. The terms of reference for this Panel must also be expanded to include review of compliance provisions under the Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, and various Rules and Notifications under the Environment Protection Act.