Jairam to Jayanti-bashing: Why India's path to progress is antiquated

The decibel level of protests against the restrictions being placed on acquisition of land and clearance of major projects by the MoEF has notched up, with three Congress govts seeking a review of such laws By Darryl D’Monte The decibel level of protests against the restrictions being placed on acquisition of land and clearance of major projects by the Ministry of Environment and Forests has notched up, with three Congress governments seeking a review of such laws. This follows close on the heels of the characterisation by the media of Jayanti Natarajan’s ministry, and that of her predecessor Jairam Ramesh, as the “Green Terror” stalking the country. In general, vested interests in both the private and public sector view the MoEF - as in India Today’s “Green Terror” October 15 cover story, referring to Ramesh’s and Jayanti Natrajan’s tenure - as the “single biggest stumbling block in India’s history”. The late activist Baba Amte once told this writer that these central districts were the “cummerbund” of India: the waist where much of the country’s mineral and timber resources were located.