His supporters heave a sigh of relief that we finally have a minister genuinely interested in the environment ( Posco notwithstanding), one who is enforcing the laws that have existed for long on our statute books. For the others, he is an indulgence the country cannot afford, particularly at its current stage of development. Worse, this side feels that it marks a return to the licence-permit Raj of yore, albeit in today's garb.
It is particularly interesting that the 'soft' narrative surrounding the Green movement continues in spite of the fact that it receives overwhelming support from the world of hard science. This has to do in part with the fact that environmental consciousness asks us to sacrifice significantly in the tangible today for intangible and uncertain benefits in the future, an entity in which our stake is a somewhat abstract one. But another factor is that the Green movement has become a lightning rod for all kind of anti-establishment concerns. The most vocal opponents of environmental degradation also happen to take predictable positions on other issues giving rise to a feeling that they are pre-disposed to opposing the mainstream, no matter what the subject. Even the manner in which Jairam Ramesh is pursuing the cause adds weight to this feeling for it seems like a lonely crusade by a single individual, rather than as a part of a coherent long-term vision. It is almost certain that with a new minister, the government's apparent interest in this cause will abate substantially, reinforcing the feeling that the issue of the environment is at best an erratic indulgence that the government occasionally gives in to. Read the full report here.
Source: Times News Network, New Delhi.
