Minister Announces Formation of Health and Environment Committee

IAddressing the CSE National Conference on Health and Environment, Environment Minister Suresh Prabhu announced the formation of a Committee on Health and Environment, and another inter-ministerial coordination committee of Secretaries

Minister for Environment and Forests, Suresh Prabhu, today announced the formation of a Committee on Health and Environment, and a separate inter- ministerial committee of Secretaries to address the health effects of environmental degradation in India. "The government has to be dynamic and has to react to scientific findings," the Minister said in his valedictory address to a three-day National Conference on Health and Environment, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment. The inter-ministerial group, formed by Secretaries, will look into the recommendations and work with the committee, he said.

The Conference concluded today, after the eminent chairpersons of eleven sessions listed their main recommendations on how to deal with diseases caused by vectors, toxins, air pollution, noise pollution, sanitary waste disposal and nuclear radiation, among others. "These recommendations will be brought to the attention of policy makers by a high-powered delegation of people, who have participated in the Conference, " said Anil Agarwal, director of the Centre for Science and Environment.

The recommendations of the Conference included regulatory, transparency and monitoring measures, such as the establishment of a database relating to environmental pollution and developmental activities, and their health implications. Interdisciplinary action, taking into account agricultural, industrial and urban processes, was called for by the Conference.

The session on Radiological Pollution and Health, chaired by Dr A Gopalakrishnan, former chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, recommended the setting up of a totally independent organisation to oversee safety and regulation of civilian nuclear activities in India. The participants recommended that the Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority should make all data and information relating to the safety of nuclear installations and activities publicly available.

A similar call for transparency was made by the session on industrial accidents and health. "All documents must be brought from the official to the public domain, and the public must be given an opportunity to be heard by the environmental clearance committee, " the participants recommended.

The three-days of hard work put in by participants to the Conference was amply rewarded by the Minister's reaction, and the audience broke into applause when he announced the formation of the two committees.

Please contact Priti Kumar and Sonia Kapoor at CSE, 6981110, 6983394, 6981125 for additional information.