In his ET article, ‘The Need to Mope About Mopa’ (April 15, bit.do/eQG6s), NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant describes the Supreme Court’s suspension of the approval granted to build an airport in Mopa, Goa, as ‘unfortunate’. He goes on to state that the decision will be “irreparably harmful for investor confidence and foreign investment” and is a “dangerous precedent to set”. It is neither, and the court’s decision is welcome.

Read more at : https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-commentary/when-wings-were-rightly-clipped/

There can be no gambles with the environment: a ‘heads I win, tails you lose’ approach is simply unacceptable; unacceptable if we are to preserve environmental governance and the rule of law”.

Read more at : https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/in-perspective/failed-by-ngt-saved-by-sc-731335.html

India’s wildlife is in a crisis.  The crisis stems not just from traditional threats to wildlife such as deforestation, poaching, and habitat destruction, but also from a complete policy paralysis and governance failure with respect to the conservation of wildlife. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) today functions with two part time ministers; the National Board for Wildlife has not met since the present government came to power and the success of the MoEFCC is judged by the number of Environmental and Forest clearances it has granted, therefore facilitating the ‘ease of doing business’. It is with the above background in mind that one has to look at the new National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) for 2017–31.   The question to ask is whether the new action plan will be able to achieve the goal of wildlife conservation in the currentera of ‘business above all’.

To read the full artilce please click on the link : https://www.currentconservation.org/issues/indias-new-national-wildlife-action-plan-lacking-action-and-plan/

Trees become the first victims of infrastructure expansion in urban areas. Laws and institutions for the protection of trees have not kept pace with the increasing developmental pressures. A fundamental reform in the law is needed, so that it is able to comprehensively protect trees in an urban landscape.

To read the full article please follow the link below : https://www.epw.in/journal/2019/1/commentary/national-law-urban-trees.html

You know you will be penalised for driving a car without a license. But if you spewed toxic materials into the air without a licence under environmental law, you only need to fear receiving an amiable letter.

Read in detail:https://thewire.in/environment/do-you-pollute-the-air-expect-a-friendly-letter-from-the-authorities

This is the first of a two-part analysis of the EPCA’s performance. The second part will be published tomorrow.

The National Capital Region is in a state of environmental emergency. For a purely winter phenomenon, air quality is way worse than is acceptable throughout the year.

Read in detail:https://thewire.in/government/epca-was-specially-empowered-to-deal-with-air-pollution-crises-is-it-working/amp/