Govt 'diluting' environmental laws: Disha Ravi
New Delhi, Oct 9: Climate activist Disha Ravi on Saturday claimed the government was "diluting" environmental laws by proposing amendments to the Forest Conservation Act and that this "trend" started with the changes made to Environment Impact Assessment rules last year.
The 23-year-old activist, who was arrested in February in connection with a 'toolkit' on farmer protests, also said indigenous people, tribals and environmental defenders are hurt every single day for the very work that will protect everyone.
"People often say the open forest cover is increasing. However, if you look at that data closely, you'll see that the definition of 'open forest cover' is so vague that it can even include 30-40 trees planted close together in a park. This vagueness in definition allows data to be manipulated," Ravi said during a discussion at India Today Conclave.
"With the reforms proposed in the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980, the government is diluting India's environment laws. A lot of projects won't need the approvals they needed earlier. This trend was started with the changes made to the Environment Impact Assessment rules last year," she said.
On October 2, the Centre sent all states a copy of the proposed amendments to FCA, seeking their objections and suggestions within 15 days.
According to the proposal, land acquired by the railways and the road ministries before 1980, but on which forests came up, will no longer be considered forests.
The Centre also proposes to do away with the requirement of prior government approval for the development of border infrastructure on forest land, saying it causes delay in the implementation of critical projects.
Ravi said the fact that indigenous people, adivasis and environmental defenders are "hurt every single day for doing the very work which will protect all of us makes me concerned".
"One example is Hidme Markram, an adivasi woman who was arrested on Women's Day this year for protesting against coal mines which we all know is bad for us for several reasons," she said.
According to reports, Chhattisgarh police had arrested Markram, 30, from Dantewada district on charges of being a member of banned outfit CPI (Maoist).
Ravi said she got involved in environmental protection because her grandparents, who were farmers, had to suffer through a water crisis. "My mother would actually carry water before going to school," she said.
"Environment activism is about humans because we are all part of it. It's the Earth defending itself," the activist said.
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Slovakia's prime minister wounded in shooting
Bratislava (Slovakia), May 15: Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded in a shooting Wednesday afternoon and taken to hospital.
Reports on TA3, a Slovakian TV station, said that Fico, 59, was hit in the stomach after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, some 150 kilometers northeast of the capital, where the leader was meeting with supporters. A suspect has been detained, it said.
Police sealed off the scene, and Fico was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica.
The shooting in Slovakia comes three weeks ahead of crucial European Parliament elections, in which populist and hard-right parties in the 27-nation bloc appear poised to make gains.
Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of Slovakia's Parliament and adjourned it until further notice, the Slovak TASR news agency said.
Slovakia's major opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to overhaul public broadcasting that they say would give the government full control of public radio and television.
“We absolutely and strongly condemn violence and today's shooting of Premier Robert Fico" said Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time we call on all politicians to refrain from any expressions and steps which could contribute to further increasing the tension.”
President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless” attack on the premier.
“I'm shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.”
Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party, won Slovakia's Sept. 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Critics worried Slovakia under Fico would abandon the country's pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico's policies.
Condemnations of political violence quickly came from leaders across Europe, although no motive for the attack was immediately apparent.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile attack.”
“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking,” adding “I wish the premier to get well soon. We cannot tolerate violence, there's no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia till 1992.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social media network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment.”
