Jayashree Nandi, New Delhi
Around 2.3 million trees have been proposed to be removed to make way for mega infrastructure projects in the country, the Union environment minister informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
“Over the last three years (2020 to 2022), about 31 projects related to highways, 11 projects related to ports, 15 projects related to airports, 20 projects related to river valley and 10 projects related to Thermal power plants have been granted environmental clearance by the ministry,” minister of state Ashwini Kumar Choubey said.
Out of these, three projects are related to highways which are passing through protected areas. About 2.3 million trees have been proposed to be removed for the development of these projects, he said.
“Compensatory plantation is carried out as per the extant norms and the same is incorporated as a condition in the respective environmental clearance,” he added.
The minister shared the information in the form of a written response to a series of questions by Congress MP Vivek K Tankha. Tankha sought to know whether the Union government gave environmental clearances to infrastructure projects on a large scale in the last three years; the number of projects for which the clearances were given; the number of projects that pass through protected areas, and the number of trees to be removed.
On a question by JD(U) MP Aneel Prasad Hegde on the action being taken to ensure development works across the Trans-Himalayan region are subordinated to prior environmental and social impact review, as per norms, in light of the Joshimath crisis, Choubey said all assessments are project specific.
Environmental activists said the response “shows its business as usual for the government”.
“They did not even bat an eyelid on Joshimath. It’s very disappointing, considering that a plethora of recommendations have been made by different committees and experts after thorough analysis of the disaster in Uttarakhand. If the ‘business as usual’ approach continues, it’s a warning for several Joshimaths in the Himalayas,” said Mallika Bhanot, member of Ganga Ahvaan.
