Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, facing criticism from some of his cabinet colleagues for his “eco-friendly” moves, has found support from a group of scientists who have written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The letter, on the subject of “support for the work being done by Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh”, has been signed by 54 environmental scientists and activists.

“Ramesh is under continuous attack from industry as he defends the environment. Though other cabinet ministers express their concern for the environment in speeches, they nonetheless push forward an agenda of environmental destruction through PSUs and the exponentially growing number of private licensed operators in steel, mining, coal, oil and gas, large hydro, the chemical industry and other destructive sectors.

“Given the increasingly contradictory and practically irreconcilable policy differences within and between the different ministries of the union government, we are writing to strongly support many recent decisions and initiatives taken by Sri Jairam Ramesh and the MoEF and yourself,” says the letter.

The experts have also called for a review of the energy policy, making it more sensitive to the environmental impact.

"The Integrated Energy Policy which envisages increasing coal power capacity from the present level of about 80,000 MW to about 600,000 MW by 2031-32 must be reconsidered. Our country must utilise the plentiful free energy from the sun instead of continuing to damage water bodies, soils, plants, animals and people irreversibly through outmoded nineteenth century ideas of limitless economic growth. The additional mines required for this level of thermal power generation will reduce our forest cover and irreversibly destroy water security, biodiversity security, food security and national culture, as well as contributing to global and regional climate change."

The letter is reproduced here:

9th April 2010

To
The Prime Minister of India
Dr. Manmohan Singh

New Delhi

Subject: Support for the work being done by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh

Dear Prime Minister,

The Minister of State for Environment and Forests Mr. Jairam Ramesh is under continuous attack from industry as he defends the environment. Though other Cabinet Ministers express their concern for the environment in speeches, they nonetheless push forward an agenda of environmental destruction through PSUs and the exponentially growing number of private licensed operators in steel, mining, coal, oil and gas, large hydro, the chemical industry and other destructive sectors. Given the increasingly contradictory and practically irreconcilable policy differences within and between the different Ministries of the Union government, we are writing to strongly support many recent decisions and initiatives taken by Sri Jairam Ramesh and the MoEF and yourself.

We applaud the warning that you could review existing mining and other commercial projects located in and near buffer zones that pose a threat to tigers and your appeal to the Chief Ministers to declare buffer zones before time runs out. We agree with the Minister of the MoEF that "the delay in non notification of buffer zones is not accidental, but deliberate to allow other commercial projects to come through."

Recent successes by the legal processes through the MoEF and local people’s movements in the country include the cancellation of the 300 MW coal fired power plant planned by Ind Bharat Power at Hanakon, Karnataka, and replacement with solar power station by the same company at that site; and shelving of ArcelorMittal steel projects in Jharkand and Orissa and withdrawal of staff from those locations. On the other hand it is depressing that the same company Ind Bharat has announced new land acquisition in Thuthukudi in Tamil Nadu for coal fired power, and ArcelorMittal is moving into a highly ecologically sensitive area of Kudithini village in the Tungabadhra sub-basin, Karnataka for a newly planned greenfield steel and iron ore plant. These are just two of many proponents of ill-conceived projects including PSUs who seem to forget that not only the MoEF but all Indian citizens including the judiciary have been entrusted with the sacred responsibility of protecting our natural resources and environment through the Environmental Protection Act, the Forest Conservation Act and the Wild Life Protection Act and the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006. Article 48A of the Constitution of India is explicit on this matter, stating, “The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country.”  They forget Article 51A(g) of the Constitution of India concerning Fundamental Duties, which states, “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India— to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures;” The critics of the MoEF seem to have only one goal; huge profits through whatever means.

It is very sad that projects through protected forests and critical wildlife habitats such as a road through Nagarahole in Karnataka OR in Madhya Pradesh OR Hubli-Ankola railway through thick forests of Western Ghats, which may reduce the travel time by half an hour or the travel distance by few kilometres, are considered essential, whilst the integrity of forests or the conservation of rich biodiversity is not. The proponents of these projects seem to be completely ignorant of the importance of the rich biodiversity of our forests, and the fact that the forest and tree cover in the country is already below 23% against the national target of 33%. The dangerous machinations of such lobbying groups must be   thwarted by diligent application of law.

We are therefore very supportive of the Minister’s recent statement that “Earlier, the laws were implemented liberally, but that is not happening any longer.” We urge you as the Prime Minister to back him and the MoEF in implementing the law and the spirit of the law with respect to the protection of the environment. Effective steps to implement policies to protect and conserve our natural resources and biodiversity must be taken so that the statements by the Minister do not remain empty rhetoric. We urge you to do all you can to ensure that the principled stand taken by MoEF is respected and adhered to by all other agencies of the Government no matter under which Ministry they fall. The National Action Plan on Climate Change will not succeed unless the MoEF is fully encouraged and supported in implementing the letter and spirit of the three important Acts: Environmental Protection Act, the Forest Conservation Act, and the Wild Life Protection Act. The positive initiatives being taken by MoEF will have far reaching consequences in protecting the health and well-being of the people and the flora and fauna of this country.

People not only affect but are also affected by the environment. People are indeed part of the environment, and the destruction of water, soil and air puts millions of lives in jeopardy. We especially also support the MoEF in its firm and principled stand against the enormous damage being caused by coal mining. The Minister Shri Jairam Ramesh has said that almost one-third of the country’s top grade coal reserve would not be available for mining as these areas are now considered to be  too ecologically fragile to allow mining. We think that in fact almost all coal mines were, or are, or will be found to be, below thick forests. The Integrated Energy Policy which envisages increasing coal power capacity from the present level of about 80,000 MW to about 600,000 MW by 2031-32 must be reconsidered. Our country must utilize the plentiful free energy from the Sun instead of continuing to damage water bodies, soils, plants, animals and people irreversibly through outmoded nineteenth century ideas of limitless economic growth. The additional mines required for this level of thermal power generation will reduce our forest cover and irreversibly destroy water security, biodiversity security, food security and national culture, as well as contributing to global and regional climate change.

The MoEF and you have initiated a national debate on the need for a paradigm shift in our energy policy. We are only at the beginning of a profound change in the relationship between people and environment in our country. We must now move towards environmentally sustainable policies through application of the law in a rigorous and timely manner before it is too late.

Popular support to you and to the MoEF in your endeavours in this regard can be guaranteed.

With best wishes,

Shankar Sharma
Anandi Sharan
Beluru Sudarshana
Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere, VSM (Retd)
Ashok Kundapur
Surekha Sule
Carmen Miranda
Prakash Nayak
Pandurang Hegde
Archana Godbole
Krishna Srinivasan
Walter Mendoz
Vinod Nambiar
Kashinath Vajpai
Issac Sam
Suresh Nautiyal
Raghuram Srinivasan
Suthan Somu
Abhijit Prabhudesai
Dhaval Momaya
Ravi Chellam
Lewis Wallis
Jayashree Rao
N. Arunsankar
Sebastian Rodrigues
Jayendra Parulekar
Pratim Roy
C. Udaya Shankar
R. Selvam
Maaike Hendriks
Shweta Wagh
B.J. Krishnan
Prabhakar Bhat
K. Balachandra Kurup
Lalitha Vijayan
Keya Acharya
Ganadhalu Srikanta
Prof. M.K. Prasad
Vijay Sambare
Vivek Y. Bhide
S.R. Hiremath
Claude Alvares
A. Latha
Nitya Ghotge
Sudhirendar Sharma
Vinay Aditya
Archana Aditya
V. Teja
Vishweshwar Madhav
Ranjitha Ravindran
Prof Vijay Paranjpye
Parinneta Dandekar
Suneel Waman
Dilnavaz S. Variava