Your suggestions unfounded: Javadekar to Ramesh on EIA draft

New Delhi, July 26 After Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised objections to the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), 2020, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday responded by saying that Ramesh's suggestions are unfounded and based on misrepresentation.

Ramesh had alleged that, "Draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2020, and the proposed changes in environmental clearance process for infrastructure projects "will routinely legitimise illegality and promote land grab, not development".

"All your suggestions are unfounded and based on misrepresentation," Javadekar said in response to Jairam Ramesh's letter dated July 25, in which he had raised "strongest objections" on draft EIA notification on five counts.

Union Minister also sought to remind Ramesh, a former Union Environment Minister that the draft notification has been kept in public domain for comments and suggestions and that 15 more days are left for doing so.

The minister rebutted criticism made by Jairam Ramesh, saying all "government decisions are always open for scrutiny of Parliament and Standing Committee".

The response of the minister comes at a time when several environmentalists and green activists ran a campaign seeking scrapping of the EIA draft notification.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in his letter had said that, "Chairman of the Rajya Sabha very recently in his characteristic style said nature plus culture is equal to future."

"I am marking a copy of this letter to him as well so as to let him know how the equation he has so rightly and nicely formulated will be thrown out of the window if the draft EIA Notification, 2020 becomes a reality," Ramesh had said in his letter.

( With inputs from IANS )