Secy criticises judicial intervention in env decisions

New Delhi, July 9 (UNI) Environment Secretary Prodipto Ghosh said the intervention of the courts in environmental decisions did not always have favourable impact.

"Environmental decisions require technological knowledge which most laymen do not have. Hence intervention of courts in such matters have not been to good effect," Mr Ghosh said at the conference on law and sustainable development organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Citing the example of the conversion of automobile fuel in Delhi from diesel to CNG, he said that while CNG has reduced the pollution through particulate matter it has increased the oxides of nitrogen, another polluting agent in the air of Delhi.

He talked about the constraints in the implementation of environmental policies in a executive set up and said that it was not enough to blame the executive for non-implementation of environmental policies.

Mr Ghosh also said that people should understand that economic systems cannot exist without natural resources and act in a more responsible manner as far as the enviroment is concerned.

He highlighted the nexus between poverty and environmental egradation and said that the poor are vulnerable to environment and climatic shocks.

UNI ARB PV KN1506