Unauthorised constructions on riverbeds are largely responsible for the Kashmir flood disaster and the Government is contemplating setting up a River Regulatory Zone to check repeats of such incidents, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday.
Javadekar said such calamities would continue to cause massive damages if big constructions and housing projects keep on coming up in fragile riverbeds.
Responding to queries on whether the Government viewed the Jammu & Kashmir floods as an environmental disaster, Javadekar said: “Kashmir can be described in many ways... Uttarakhand also...If you are constructing hotels and homes on riverbeds... So we are considering a Riverbed Regulatory Zone.”
Such a proposal was actively under consideration during the UPA’s rule when Jairam Ramesh was the Minister for Environment.
The Minister also justified the reconstitution of the National Board For Wildlife, saying the members included this time have illustrious track records in conservation, who will do full justice to their posts. The experts mostly include retired forest officials, who will enrich the board with their vast experience and knowledge, the Minister said.
Regarding the newly-constituted four member panel, to review all environmental laws, Javadekar said even the Constitution provides for reviewing of archaic laws. The panel will suggest necessary changes in green laws, in keeping with the developmental goals of the NDA Government.
The Minister also discussed the proposed issues that would be highlighted during the forthcoming UN Climate Summit scheduled to be held in New York on September 23. He will represent the country in the conference which will witness the convergence of heads of 125 nations who would deliberate on various issues of climate change.
According to him, India and other developing nations are not happy as the developed countries have not fulfilled their commitment to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) within the framework of the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to transfer money from the developed to the developing world for adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
Accordingly, developing countries, including India and China have urged rich nations to agree to a road map for capitalisation of Green Climate Fund by 2015. There will be a universal global climate conference in Paris in December 2015.
Though India does not want to commit anything before the world communities in the present summit before the event in Paris next year, Javadekar will make use of the forum to highlight what India has voluntarily been doing to cut greenhouse gas emissions since the last six years.
Earlier in the day, while addressing the Ninth Sustainable and Inclusive Solutions Summit, organized by the CII, Javadekar emphasized that environmental norms would be made "more stringent and practical" keeping in mind the enormity of the problem and issues involved.
"The stakeholders would be consulted in the process so as to ensure complete compliance once the norms are laid down," said the Minister.