Does the Environment Minister Think He Is the Defence Minister?

The Environment Ministry should change its name to the Ministry of Mass Destruction, because it definitely doesn’t deserve to be in charge of the protection of this country’s nature and people.

Concerned environmental experts told the media that the Environment Minister encouraged experts from across the country to clear development projects fast, and to not let studies delay construction projects in a closed door meeting.

There’s a reason studies are important before construction starts. You don’t want to build houses in an area that will get flooded during the monsoon. People could die. People have died. Look at Chennai!

Pray tell, Mr Dave, what do you mean by development?

Does development mean razing down Mumbai’s Aarey Colony? Does it mean pushing the Adivasi off their land? Does it mean endangering the few remaining tigers and rhinos in this country? Or maybe it means developing projects in Uttarakhand which will result in hundreds of deaths when they trigger major floods.

If that doesn’t make you cringe, you should hear how he justified his version of development. According to experts at the meeting, the Minister said they shouldn’t worry about cutting trees when soldiers are dying at the border.

Mr Dave, since when are you the Defence Minister? You weren’t appointed to protect the border.

And when you don’t care enough about the environment, you’re putting ALL human lives at risk – whether you’re a soldier or a civilian. Everybody breathes in toxic air and suffers the consequences. So don’t pretend you care so much about villagers who go without water for hundreds of days when your policies are part of the reason people are going thirsty.

The dams you want to approve? Many of them will cut off water down stream. The buildings on wetlands? They’re also drying up water bodies. That’s your idea of development?

We’ll see, Mr Dave. We’re keeping a close eye on you.

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman