Environmental Conservation with Grassroot Governance

Context Flood and landslides (Kerala) of 2018 caused huge financial losses and the same repeated in 2019. Considering the above scenario, powers and responsibilities conferred on citizens under provisions such as the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution, and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 are being sidelined. Background The Western Ghats are regarded as one of the eight ‘hottest’ biodiversity hotspots in the…

Coastal Regulation Zone & Sailesh Nayak Committee

About Coastal Regulation Zone Under the Environmental Protection Act 1986, notification was issued in 1991 for regulation of activities in the coastal area by Ministry of Environment and Forests. These notification known as Coastal Regulation Zone Notification defined the Coastal Regulation Zone or CRZ as coastal land up to 500m from the High Tide Line…

Citizens have right to safe water, say draft legislation

The proposed draft National Water Framework Bill promises to give every person the right to a minimum amount of “safe water”, while making the state “obliged” to “protect” and conserve water. The law is prepared by the Water Resources Ministry. The draft law is being proposed as a model legislation that can be adopted by…

Ken-Betwa project: Panel warns of dangers to ecology and animal life

A team of wildlife experts have submitted a crucial report on Ken-Betwa River linking project. The report warns of the dangers to the ecology and animal life due to the proposed Ken-Betwa project. Details: The report neither endorses nor disapproves of the Ken-Betwa project but notes that if the government were to go ahead it…