-Outlook Trade bodies representing around four lakh coal workers today said they oppose e-auction as well as the enabling provision in the proposed Ordinance for commercial mining by private players, and warned of a nation- wide strike if the Centre goes ahead with the changes. The Cabinet yesterday recommended promulgation of an Ordinance to facilitate e-auction of coal blocks for private companies for captive use and allot mines directly to state and...

-The Business Standard The ministry has eased coal production expansion norms "to quickly ramp up coal production for enhancing power generation" The Centre has set up a high-level committee to review various environmental laws. According to an environment ministry note, the panel, headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian, will review the Environment Protection Act of 1986, Forest Conservation Act of 1980, Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, Water Act of 1974...

-The Hindustan Times The entire framework for monitoring environmental compliance is being dismantled systematically. This is a process that actually began with the UPA government, which replaced the feisty environment minister Jairam Ramesh with the more pliant Jayanthi Natarajan. With industry lobbies still crying wolf, she too made way for Veerappa Moily, the petroleum and natural gas minister, without the UPA seeing anything contradictory in someone holding both those responsibilities. In just a month,...

-The Business Standard Government is diluting green regulations, not reforming them In his speech from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said many sensible things about Indian manufacturing. It is certainly true that it must be a focus area for his government. As a proportion of India's gross domestic product (GDP), the share of Indian manufacturing peaked in 1996-97, at the pitifully low percentage of a little over...

-Down to Earth   Hearing on plea to stay illegal mining to be taken up next Monday. Petitioners argue that the illegally recovered wealth from the miners should be utilised for the development of the backward mining districts in Odisha On the day it pronounced its verdict on illegal mining in Goa, the Supreme Court decided to look into illegal mining in Odisha as well. On Monday, the apex court issued notices to...