Referring in particular to the row over the move to set up several thermal power plants in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, the union minister said he had spoken to the chief minister twice on the issue.
Union minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh has said the onus to carry out a cumulative environment impact assessment (CEIA) for all large projects before securing the final environmental clearance from the Centre, lies with the respective state governments.
"It makes much more sense to have a CEIA for all large projects. It is the responsibility of the states. We are ready to provide whatever assistance is required in this regard," Ramesh said while addressing a press conference after meeting with Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy this afternoon.
Referring in particular to the row over the move to set up several thermal power plants in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, the union minister said he had spoken to the chief minister twice on the issue.
"I impressed upon him the need to conduct CEIA in vulnerable areas. We will re-do environmental clearances for thermal power plants based on the CEIA," Ramesh said citing the case of a hydel power plant in Uttarakhand where the environmental clearance was revised based on CEIA.
"In that lone case, the Union ministry of environment and forests itself conducted the CEIA but I am strongly in favour of the states doing the CEIA," he said adding that the Maharashtra government has undertaken a CEIA in Ratnagiri district in the context of the Jaitapur nuclear power plant.
If retrofitting is called for, it has to be done based on the result of the CEIA, the minister said.
Ramesh said that he suggested chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy that an independent monitoring body be constituted to oversee implementation of resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package for those affected by the multi-purpose Polavaram irrigation project proposed by the state government on river Godavari.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}