New Delhi: Government is trying to bring in
relevant and solution-oriented regulations such as fuel
efficiency standards for vehicles and market-based instruments
such as the Perform-Achieve-Trade (PAT) scheme for energy
efficiency, said Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday.
"India needs more regulations and an effective system
to implement them, and certainly not more regulators," the
Minister said while speaking on Environmental Governance &
Climate Regime with the industry organised by Confederation
of Indian Industry (CII).
The minister also said government was also trying
to bring modifications to existing regulations such as the
Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) amendments, 2011.
He said a new scheme would be launched on Wednesday on a
market-based instrument for air pollution in Tamil Nadu and
Gujarat.
"This is based on research by MIT (Massachusetts
Institute of Technology) and would focus on tradable permits
for monitoring the quality of air," he said.
Ramesh said the Planning Commission has never said that
they disagree with what the Envrionment Ministry is doing on
environmental issues.
Referring to the controversy over the "no-go areas" in
the forests where mining activities are prohibited, the
Minister said "I don`t say the Planning Commission as being on
the other side on the envrionment and development debate."
Stating that he has the greatest regard for the
Planning Commission as an institution, the Minister, who had
differed with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh
Ahluwalia on the "no go area" issue, said on issues of climate
change, Ahluwalia supported his position.
The Minister also said environment is increasingly
becoming an issue of public health.
Citing the incidents of increased cases related to
allergy, asthma and cancer, the minister said "environment is
not a middle class elitist issue, a lifestyle issue. It is not
a luxury."
Introducing the session, Hari Bhartia, President, CII,
said the Indian industry is largely not anti-environment and
promotes several initiatives to demonstrate a sustainable
growth path.
"Improvement in environmental governance will
streamline various processes, leave no space for ambiguity,
and encourage businesses to participate in environmental
betterment," he said.
PTI
