In the worldview, “Mera Bharat Mahaan” hasn’t been as mahaan since the past five years with regards to its environmental history. As ironic as it may be, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was bestowed the United Nations Environment Champions of the Earth Award 2018 – for his undeniable contribution to the promotion of solar energy, while in the same year, India was ranked to be the fourth worst country, i.e. 177 out of 180 in the world, on the Environmental Performance Index. So, what is the magic wand which this power figure we so admire holds in his hands?
With their coming into power in 2014, the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, made promises of a speedy business revolution and the removal of hurdles in the world of investments which was not just an element of surprise, but also happened to be suffocating the environment we cannot sustain without. With the growing business sector, what was not accounted for was the degradation of the environment.
While deforestation was an offence charged on the tribals, the environmental clearances were too easy to bring out, finding it to be a new element in the ways of deforestation. This isn’t just a statement, but a fact – the ways through which the policies and programmes of the Modi-led government have disgraced the environment, are not a lot, but they aren’t scarce either.
1) “They removed the ban from ‘critically-polluted’ industrial belts. Aw! How considerate!”
As soon as the BJP came to power, the environment ministry used a bureaucratic shortcoming to remove the ban from setting up of industries in the eight critically polluted industrial belts.
2) “Environmental clearance? *snaps fingers* It’s done!”
The environment clearance was eased for every mid-sized polluting industry to operate within 5 km of eco-sensitive areas. The limit was brought down from 10 km to 5 km. Ah! What a relief.
3) “Independent members in Modiji’s reign are not a thing. Everything belongs to him. Even the Sun!”
In the National Board for Wildlife, the concept of fifteen independent members wasn’t likeable. Three independent and twelve government officials looked easier from the other side of the PM’s eyewear. Clearer, maybe. Or easy on the clearances, maybe? Hey, I didn’t say anything!
4) “Pollution on the rise? But, aren’t we developing?!”
The Central Pollution Control Board wrote to over 400 thermal power units in the country, allowing them to release pollutants in violation of the 2015 limits set by the government, which were to be followed till the next five years. But as Scroll reported, “even the 16 new power stations that became operational in 2017 had failed to install clean technologies.”
5) “Oh, National Green Tribunal? What’s that? Our guest house?”
As if they owned it, in July 2017, the government tried to undermine the independence and freedom of the environmental watchdog of India – the National Green Tribunal. While it enjoyed an autonomous status, the Modi government through the money bill tweaked the rules to have a five member committee heading the NGT, out of which four members could be government officials.
Such instances and many more such issues led to statistics where 22 out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world were situated in the mainland of India.
The fight in Gurgaon to save the Aravali and the fight in Mumbai to save Aarey have been documented by the media, not because it was wanted but because it was very much needed in the growing adversities of the country. Almost 1.2 million people died due to the rising level of pollution in the country. But, this was the last five years. What now?
While we rejoice in the victory and installation of Modi 2.0, do I hear the trees and biodiversity of my country wallowing? Will Modi 2.0 bring in the same environmental destructive policies in the world out?
The re-launching of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan might have fooled a lot of people. In fact, the government took the swachh so seriously that it decided to clear out loads of forest cover in the name of development. Ah, the irony.
While environmental lawyers like Ritwick Dutta expect the government to reverse the trending culture of environmental degradation and knee-break every law made in history, they also wish that the policies may turn their phase, unlike continuity which is rumoured to sustain.
The Bharatiya Janata Party didn’t even acknowledge the hell it broke loose in its previous term in its 2019 manifesto. Hence, not only does hope go bleak, it also drains out to the polluted rivers from the waste mismanaged on the industries’ account.
Like always, once we are done voting, all we can do is hope, or maybe file a petition, but that’s that. Because when the rule-makers turn into rule-breakers, there’s an undeniable downfall of the world you just cannot escape.