On June 25, 2020, a comprehensive letter was sent to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with signatures of over 50 unions, who stood in solidarity to condemn the passing of the EIA Notification 2020 on account of how destructive it can prove to be for the ecology and the people of India. In an initiative spearheaded by the Environment Ministry of Ashoka University (headed by Anjali Dalmia, a 20-y-o from Pune), we, the youth, (aged 17-28) have requested that the policy be deferred, rewritten as per recommendations by experts, and released once health and survival are not a critical issue.
There is space all around us. This space transforms into a place when we attach some significance and meaning to it. A ‘place’, for the commoner or forest dweller, is often simply a ‘space’ for the elite, which can be encroached on, used and molded according to their needs. This is evident in our urban planning, highway and dam construction, industrial establishments, and every other aspect of our society.
In contemporary times, our natural world has been included in the list of numerous ‘spaces’ that can be consumed — objects without importance, existing to cater to the needs of economically well-off, and thereby, superior human beings. On March 23, 2020, the MoEFCC released the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2020 as a replacement to the EIA Notification 2006. This proposal aims to bring in, continue and strengthen controversial amendments — such as, a post-facto grant of approval for the EIA for proposed projects, exemption of several large industries from public hearings, permission for businesses to submit just one environment compliance report a year rather than two, and increased validity of the environment clearances for mining and river valley projects.
As a young citizen and stakeholder of this nation, who will be living on this soil for years to come, this draft alarms me. The importance of raising our voices, as the youth of this developing country, against such outrageous decisions cannot be understated. In an attempt to serve my responsibility as the Environment Minister of Ashoka University and youth of this country, I initiated a campaign on Monday, June 16, 2020, to rally support various university student associations, college environment clubs and other youth groups across India.
On June 25, a comprehensive letter was sent to the MoEFCC with signatures of over 50 unions from around India (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Telangana, West Bengal, Punjab, Goa, Pondicherry, MP, UP, Haryana, Odisha, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and more) who stood in solidarity to condemn the passing of the EIA Notification 2020. We have requested that the notification be deferred and rewritten in consultation with environmental experts.
I believe that we should utilise the EIA to raise India out of the Covid-19 pandemic as an environmentally aware country through a green recovery. We need to progress from a cost-benefit analysis that associates everything with monetary value, to a class-benefit analysis, which questions whether the monetised value is worth it and who it is benefitting. While economic revival is a national priority, this should be carried out without compromising the environment and society. The MoEFCC has persistently compromised our environment for new development projects such as coal mining in Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve (Assam), a highway through Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary (Goa), and a railway bridge through the Kawal Tiger Reserve (Telangana).
In the long run, it is our natural ecosystem that will support us. How can we live in an economic model structured on a trade-off between short-term and long-term goals, where all non-human entities are treated like mere space — monetised and depleted? To ensure long-term prosperity and peace, it is imperative that the MoEFCC work with the citizens of this country, rather than in conflict, to implement policies that aid all communities and citizens and conserve India’s natural life.
Although we are not as experienced as the creators and editors of this document, we are equally concerned with the matters pertaining to our environment, if not more. We, the youth, are passionate, action-oriented critical thinkers and eager learners with the ability to adapt quickly. We bring in a fresh perspective, one arising from a place of empathy, inclusivity and concern for our children to be. We want to grow with you and have a say in decisions that will affect our future the most.
As citizens and stakeholders of this great nation, we must care about our environment. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to make a choice about what kind of future we want for our motherland. Like most of India’s youth, I choose to grow up on land, which has thriving forests and clean rivers, a balanced economy that places importance on sustainability and communities and a system of policy-making that promotes dialogue with the citizens of India. Now, it is your turn to choose.
“Today, we have economies that need to grow, whether or not they make us thrive: what we need are economies that make us thrive, whether or not they grow.” ~ Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics