Environmental laws being diluted to favour industry: Jairam Ramesh

Former Union Environment Minister and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of weakening and tweaking environment laws to favour industries.

"All the environmental laws are being weakened and diluted. Ministry of Environment has become a rubber stamp body. In the name of ease of doing business, it is being tweaked to favour industry," he said here on the sidelines of a session at the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet.

Recalling Indira Gandhi's passion for environment and ecology, he said she was the country's first and last Prime Minister to make environment protection part of her day to day governance agenda.

"She walked and talked (environment). Other Prime Ministers including the present Prime Minister talk," he said.

Asked about his comment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "is more of talk" Ramesh said, "He speaks one thing and the reality is something else."

--IANS

bdc/ssp/rn