Javadekar sets "sustainable development" top on agenda for next 3 years

New Delhi: Strict compliance of environmental laws, use of technology for reducing air pollution and capacity building of municipal bodies will be among the top focus areas for the environment ministry for the next three years, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said today. Listing Environment Ministry’s achievements over the last two years, Javadekar said the most important among them include, increase in the forest cover, better monitoring of industrial pollution, representation of country’s interest in COP Paris meet and passage of CAMPA bill. He also said 2000 environmental approvals were granted in two years for unlocking an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore with a potential of generating 10 lakh jobs. [caption id=“attachment_2795176” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. Reuters[/caption] Outlining the road map for next three years, Javadekar said the ministry will continue to take initiatives for sustainable development. “A law will be passed for compliance which will act as a deterrent for violation (of green norms). Secondly, to use technology for monitoring of the pollution norms all over the country and thirdly, build capacities in the local bodies because they are the ones who actually deal with the situation of waste management and other things,” Javadekar said while addressing a press conference on ministry’s achievements in the last two years. Noting that there has been a reduction Delhi’s air pollution, Javadekar said, the ministry held periodic review meetings with five neighboring states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to implement short-term and long term action plans. “There are four-five states that impact air pollution in Delhi and they do not come under Delhi municipal jurisdiction. We called all of them including officials from Delhi government and asked them to prepare a plan. The battle against pollution has to be fought collectively,” he said.