SMSS Opposes Draft EIA, 2020

The Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS), the student wing of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti has opposed the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020 issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Addressing a press conference, SMSS Working President Manas Konwar said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to turn the country into communal form. The BJP wants to sell the resource of Assam to the Capitalists but the people of the state won't accept that.

The SMSS threatened that such kind of act of BJP will not be accepted. "During this hour of crisis of Coronavirus pandemic, the BJP government wants to sell all the resources of Assam to the national and international capitalists. Now the saffron party wants to hand over the resources of Assam by implementing the EIA," said Konwar while briefing the media.

The SMSS appealed the people to submit their objection against the EIA by August 11 adding that the draft is a dangerous thing which will destroy the resources of the state and if it would become an act the resources will be handed over to the capitalists through the act.

The draft permits "post-facto approval" for projects i.e. projects that have come up without environmental clearances can actually be legalized now. A committee will evaluate the project and may recommend it or they may close it down. The duration and bonafide period of clearances for river valley projects have increased to 15 years from the existing 10 years and mining projects to 50 years from the existing duration of 30 years. 

The greatest challenge the draft imposes is the reduced time allowed for public hearing on assessments seeking environmental clearence, and allowing more projects to avoid the public comment process entirely. Public consultation process under the draft notification is reduced from 30 days to 20 days.