Information pertaining to project clearances like Agenda of Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meetings, minutes of the meetings, copies of scoping clearance and Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment/Environment Management Plan Reports, Environment Clearance letters etc. are regularly uploaded on the website of the Ministry.
The Minister of State for Environment & Forest, Jayanthi Natarajan in Rajya sabha stated on 2oth March that all Acts, Rules, Guidelines and circulars related to environmental clearance for developmental projects and constitution of EACs are available on the website of the Ministry.
The Central Information Commission has directed the Ministry to post Form-1, Form-1A, additional information received from the Project Proponents in response to the queries of EAC, site visit reports and site specific study reports on the website of the Ministry from 1st April, 2012. As per the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, relevant information pertaining to the environment clearance, as mentioned above is posted on the website of the Ministry.
In reply to another question, Jayanthi Natarajan informed the House that Ministry of Environment and Forests had constituted a Task Force to evolve a policy on “Environmentally Sound Management of mercury in Fluorescent Lamps”. A Technical Committee, constituted by this Task Force, had prepared “Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Mercury Management in Fluorescent Lamps Sector”.
These guidelines prescribe the best practices at various levels, such as at manufacturer’s level and include aspects relate to mercury consumption, process technology, raw mercury distillation, on-site storage, treatment, recycling and disposal of mercury bearing wastes, mercury spill management. The best practices at consumer’s level include handling of used/broken lamps, consumer awareness pertaining to collection, transport, treatment and disposal of used fluorescent lamps.
Natarajan added that Ministry of Environment and Forests and Central Pollution Control Board have written to all the State Governments and Union Territories to encourage establishment of recycling units so that the fused Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and Fluorescent Tube lights (FTLs) are properly collected and the mercury is recovered and recycled scientifically and safely.
No comments:
Post a Comment