- Jairam Ramesh defended his decision to overrule the statutory and expert panel on forest clearances, to give the nod for coal blocks in the Hasdeo-Arand forests of Chhattisgarh, to the Adani joint venture company.
- National Green Tribunal cancelled forest clearance and asked government to recheck the project and commented against Mr.Ramesh’s role as Environment Minister in 2011 in clearing the coal blocks.
- NGT asserted Mr. Ramesh for overruling experts without any scientific review of the cases. The Minister took 24 hours to override the expert panel and did not allow to comment on his views.
- Mr.Ramesh informed that NGT has emphasized the fact of his speaking order was dated June 2011,immediately one day after his final recommendation of the FAC.
- Anthropocentric considerations for power generation was given weight. The linkage to a critical power plant and lobbying by the States concerned and not evaluating ecological factors properly was remarked wrong by NGT.
Exams Perspective:
- Hasdeo-Arand forests
- National Green Tribunal
- Anthropocentric