Lok Sabha Question No. 1561 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-26
Subject: Awareness on Environmental Degradation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ANWHAR RAAJHAA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1561

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2016

## Awareness on Environmental Degradation

## 1561. SHRI A. ANWHAR RAAJHAA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  initiated  steps  to  involve  the  people  in  educating  the whole  country  regarding  the  implications  of  environmental  degradation  and  the efforts required to be taken by each individual to contain the ill effects of the same;
- (b) if  so,  the  details thereof along with the awareness campaigns launched/ proposed to be launched in this regard;
- (c) whether a lot of findings regarding environmental degradation, deforestation, pollution of groundwater, depletion of water sources etc. has come to light through research and knowledge sharing, but measures to counter all these natural effect are not possible at the ground level due to lack of funds, skilled and qualified individuals and infrastructure facilities and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether unplanned spurt in open ended industrialisation of all kinds in various States without proper environmental clearance and environmental impact assessments, has led  to  large  scale  environmental  pollution  due  to  non-treatment  of  effluent  before release of the residues into the land and water bodies; and
- (e) if so, the action taken by the Government thereon along with the number of industries shut down in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a) & (b) Yes Sir, Government has initiated steps for educating and creating awareness on protection and conservation of environment among general public. The 'Environmental Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT)' scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was launched in the FY 1983-84 with the basic objective to promote environmental  awareness  among  all  sections  of  the  society  and  to  mobilize  people's participation  for  conservation  of  environment.  The  objectives  of  the  scheme  are  achieved through  the  implementation  of  four  programmes  namely  National  Green  Corps,  National Environment  Awareness  Campaign,  Seminars/Workshops  and  National  Nature  Camping Programme. Under these programmes financial assistance is provided to various organisations for undertaking activities and awareness campaigns for protection of environment in the Country.

(c) Carrying out research in the field of environment conservation is an ongoing activity of the institutions of the central and state governments as well as in the private sector. Ministry is  also  funding  research  through  grant-in-aid  projects  to  many  research  institutions  in different  areas  under  the  broad  ambit  of  environment  protection  and  management.  An amount of Rs. 13 crore has been released since 2014-15 for this purpose.  Research proposals are received in the Ministry from time to time for taking up various issues on environmental concerns and sanctioned by this Ministry after due appraisal on the basis of the prescribed Guidelines.  The  main  objectives  of  the  research  work  are  to  generate  information  and knowledge  required  for  developing  strategies,  techniques  and  methodologies  for  better environmental  management,  to  find  practical  solutions  to  the  problems  of  environment protection  and  management  and  to  build  indigenous  capacities  and  strengthen  scientific manpower in multidisciplinary and emerging areas of environmental sciences. Interventions/remedial measures are initiated by the Central and respective State Governments through schemes and capacity building as and when required, based upon the findings of the studies.

(d)  and  (e)  The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  notified Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 under the Environment (Protection)  Act,  1986  which  deals  with  the  process  to  grant  Environmental  Clearances. Under the provision of the EIA Notification, 2006, as amended, construction of new projects or activities or the expansion or modernization of existing projects or activities listed in the schedule to the said notification entailing  capacity  addition  with  change  in  process  and  or technology  shall  be  under  taken  in  any  part  of  India  only  after  the  prior  environmental clearance  from  the  Central  Government  or  as  the  case  may  be,  from  the  State  Level Environment  Impact  Assessment  Authority,  duly  constituted  by  the  Central  Government under sub Section (3) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in accordance with the procedures specified in this notification.

Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  and  State  pollution  Control  Boards  /  Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs / PCCs) conduct routine as well as surprise inspections to check the adequacy of the effluent / emission treatment system and verification of compliance as per  consent  conditions.    Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  reported  that  it  has issued  closure  orders  to  442  industries  throughout  the  country  which  have  either  not complied with the directions relating to online effluent monitoring devices or found to be not complying with the prescribed standards.

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