Lok Sabha polls: Over 60 environmental groups demand ban on mega infrastructure projects in Himalayas
The Hindu
Over 60 environmental groups demand a ban on mega infrastructure projects in the Himalayas, urging referendums and public consultations.
More than 60 environmental and social organisations in the country have demanded a complete ban on all mega infrastructure projects, such as those related to the railways, dams, hydro projects and four-lane highways in the Himalayas, and have urged for referendums and public consultations to be made compulsory for all development projects.
The organisations, jointly leading the "People for Himalaya" campaign, issued a five-point charter of demand for all political parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls during an online press conference.
They called for a complete moratorium on all mega infrastructure projects, including those related to the railways, dams, hydro projects, tunneling, transmission lines and four-lane highways, along with a comprehensive multidisciplinary review of the impacts of the existing projects.
The organisations demanded that democratic decision-making through referendums and public consultations be made compulsory for large infrastructure projects.
Opinion | Moulding the Himalayas needs caution
They also called for the strengthening of the Environment Impact Assessment Notification-1994, the scrapping of the EIA-2020 amendments and FCA-2023 amendments, and free prior informed consent of gram sabhas for all development projects.
Addressing the press conference, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said, "While industries exploit the riches of the Himalayas, the local people bear the brunt of disasters. The government uses taxpayers' money for rehabilitation efforts, yet those who reap the benefits are not held accountable."
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