'GoM entitled to its views, but won't allow mining in inviolate areas'

Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan on Saturday said she was not ready to blink as yet on her resolve to implement stricter green norms. Speaking at a Headlines Today function in the Capital, Natarajan said it was her mandate to ensure that forests were protected. She said the Group of Ministers (GoM) was entitled to its views, but she wouldn't allow mining in inviolate areas. "The minutes of the meeting of the GoM are confidential. My colleagues in the government are entitled to their views. But, it's my mandate to ensure that forests are protected and personally I will strain every nerve to see that inviolate areas are shielded. There should be forest areas which should be declared inviolate (barred for mining) on scientific parameters. I will hold more discussions with the GoM," the minister said.

Cautioning investors violating forest laws, Natarajan said, "If they are going against the law, they should be prepared to face the consequences. I am the custodian of India's forests, which can never be replaced. A tree with 60 cm girth takes 100 years to grow. We cannot have compensatory afforestation." The minister also junked allegations of her ministry holding up infrastructure projects. "I challenge anybody who claims that environment ministry is a hurdle to development," she said.