New Delhi:
The government's efforts to 'streamline' green laws has run into trouble with Parliament's standing committee on science and technology and environment seeing red over the move.
Congress lawmaker and former Minister Dr Ashwani Kumar who chairs the parliamentary panel, said on Saturday that the committee had rejected the TSR Subramanium committee report which had suggested radical changes in environmental laws. The NDA government had last year set up the high-powered committee under TSR Subramanium to examine India's six principal environment laws and recommend streamlining environment clearances as well as better protection of the environment.
"The Committee has rejected the findings as it would mean a complete dilution of the environmental edifice of the country," Dr Ashwani Kumar told NDTV.
Several prominent environmentalists had also criticised the TSR committee recommendations for being tilted in favour of industry.
In what could come as further embarrassment for the government, the committee which includes several BJP lawmakers unanimously said it wasn't satisfied with the overall performance of the government agencies in managing and protecting the environment.
"The problem is not with laws but implementation of the laws which will ensure better protection of the environment," said Ritwik Dutta, a senior Supreme Court lawyer and green crusader.