Chapter 2 - Kerala Govt Logo

Chapter 2Policy, Legislation and Regulationsupport, motivation etc. This is more so in the case of governance in the field of environment.In order to provide adequate technical support to the LGs and to facilitate and enable them inmatters related to environmental protection, there is a need for an Environmental Cell orMission under the LG Department. This is to provide technical, management, promotional,philosophical and enforcement support to different tiers of LGs. Though there are issue basedmissions, their interventions have been limited mostly to facilitation. Though these missionshave been conceived for technical support and enabling the LGs to achieve or rapidly movetowards environmental upgradation, their efficiency and performance level have been foundpoor or at the most moderate. Therefore, target based missions have to be integrated into amission for achieving the goal of environmental upgradation. This necessitates the formationof an Environmental Cell or Mission in the LG Department with an overall goal of environmentalupgradation of the State through LGs by integrating target orientated missions. Such a Cell orMission should be strengthened with additional powers and infrastructure to give technicalsupport to the LGs in all matters related to environmental protection and conservation and toreview the progress of implementation of the measures taken by them. It should also be givenpowers to take stringent action on erring LGs.Considering the developmental needs, the LGs are not in a position to allocate adequate fundfor the protection and conservation of environment. There are various central and stateagencies and departments like the Ministry of Urban Developments, Ministry of RuralDevelopments, Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy, Ministry of Environment and Forests,Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industries,In short, a very strong IEC on lawsCentral Pollution Control Board, State Pollution related to environmental protection andControl Board, State Environment Department and conservation, strengthening of manpowerother international agencies, which extend and infrastructure of LSGs and adequatefund and provision for continuedprogramme or project based financial assistance to technical support are the immediateLGs for environmental protection and conservation. needs of LSGs in Kerala. In addition, aUnfortunately, information regarding such frame work for ensuring protection andconservation of environment will enableprogrammes or projects or scope of such financial them to stride towards persistentschemes are not reaching to the level of LGs or environmental upgradation. Thethey are not capable of preparing scheme to suit Environmental Assessment (EA) andEnvironmental Management Frameworkthe requirements of the funding agencies and(ESMF) shall provide the right tool foravailing these opportunities. There is necessity of LSGs in this regardData Banks of such schemes and financialassistance to be created and made available to the Directorate of Municipalities andDirectorate of Panchayat or attached with the proposed Environment Cell/Mission. The LGsshould also be enabled to make use of such opportunities in tune with their policy and actionplan they set for environmental upgradation and facilitate them to do the follow up withconcerned agencies. A list of projects requiring prior environmental approval is given inAnnexure 8.