Assam: Tarun Gogoi writes to PM Modi, says 'draft EIA will seriously harm ecology'

Former Assam CM and senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi wrote to PM Narendra Modi regarding the issue of the draft Environmental impact assessment EIA issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. In the letter he stated:

"I would like to bring to your kind notice about the proposed draft E I A issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India It is not only the people of Assam or North East but from entire Himalayan region including Himachal, Uttarakhand, Kashmir and Ladakh are greatly concerned about this notification If this proposed draft EIA becomes an Act, it will seriously harm all ecological aspects of the region. The whole world is facing the problem of climate change due to destruction of our natural resources including biodtversity and as a result of this there has been alarming melting of Himalayan Glaciers continuously This has resulted large scale of flood and erosion in the North east region and due to massive deforestation Assam has been facing the main problem of flood and erosion This year alone so far 130 precious lives lost out of which 104 for flood and 26 due to landslide Moreover it will lead to loss of -biodiversity, soil erosion, water resources, fertility of agricultural soil decrease of ground water level, pollution etc It will ultimately have negative impact on health and economical activities in the region and will lead to starvation, unemployment too.

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Today there has been emphasis on sustainable economic development by taking affective steps to maintain ecological balance This EIA notification has given unlimited power to the authority to take any kind of steps which will be harmful to safeguard our natural resources Such arbitrary power is likely to be misused by big corporate groups You are championing for the cause of ecological balance for all round development of the country, such arbitrary steps taken by the Environment Ministry to be scrapped in order to save our million poor and vulnerable people and the country as a whole I hope you will give due consideration of the views of the moots of not only North east but even entire Himalayan region I request you to kindly issue necessary instructions to the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change to withdraw the Environment Impact Assessment (ElA) notification 2020

With warm regards,
Yours sincerely
(TAIIUN 60601)

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