Subject: Governance

India's environmental governance faces significant challenges due to competing interests between development and environmental protection. The recent World Air Quality Report 2023 highlights India as the fifth most polluted country globally, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 μg/m³, exemplifying the outcomes of policy contradictions.

Policy Contradictions and Their Impact

1. Legislative Framework vs Implementation:

• Despite having comprehensive laws like the Environment Protection Act 1986 and Forest Conservation Act 1980, weak enforcement and overlapping jurisdictions hamper effective environmental protection.
• The case of Vedanta's copper smelter in Tamil Nadu illustrates how industrial interests often clash with environmental concerns, leading to prolonged legal battles.

2. Development vs Environmental Protection:

• Rapid industrialization priorities often override environmental safeguards, as seen in Gujarat's limestone extraction case causing coastal degradation.
• The conflict between agricultural communities and industries over water resources demonstrates the challenge of balancing development needs with environmental preservation.

3. Institutional Challenges:

• Multiple agencies with overlapping jurisdictions create coordination gaps and delayed decision-making.
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT), despite its mandate, faces limitations in ensuring comprehensive environmental protection due to implementation challenges.

Impact on Environmental Protection

1. Environmental Degradation:

• Six of the world's ten most polluted cities are in India, indicating inadequate pollution control measures.
• The presence of competing stakeholders has led to delayed action on critical environmental issues.

2. Resource Management:

• Conflicts between industrial and agricultural sectors over water resources highlight the absence of integrated resource management.
• The Biological Diversity Act 2002 implementation faces challenges due to competing economic interests.

Way Forward

1. Policy Integration:

• Need for harmonization of environmental laws with development policies.
• Strengthening the role of State Pollution Control Boards and environmental monitoring mechanisms.

The path forward requires a balanced approach where development and environmental protection coexist through integrated policymaking and stronger institutional frameworks. Success stories like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) demonstrate that with political will and coordinated action, policy contradictions can be resolved for better environmental outcomes.