But over the past six years, the government has thoughtlessly — or worse, with intent — eroded our environmental protection framework. We were an alarming 177th out of 180 countries in 2018, faring badly on virtually all indicators — environmental health policy, biodiversity and habitat, air and water pollution and climate change. The pandemic should have made the government reflect and reconsider its environmental and public health governance. India’s environmental protection framework is not a regulatory burden and the government must incentivise industry to shift its mindset from clearances to compliance. India as a green hubSimply put, the government must stop dismantling India’s environmental regulations.

Source: The Hindu August 12, 2020 18:22 UTC