New Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for Environmental Issues
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has constituted a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on environmental issues.
MoEFCC has constituted this Standing Statutory Committee (CEC) in exercise of the power conferred under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
This new committee will replace an earlier ad-hoc ‘CEC’ formed in 2002. In its order, the Supreme Court has asked the Center to take forward the process of making the CEC permanent in place of the old ad-hoc ‘CEC’.
It may be noted that the CEC has been assisting the court for the last two decades in matters related to permissions granted to mining and forest projects. This ad-hoc ‘CEC’ was formed to monitor the implementation of the Supreme Court order in TN Godavarman vs. Union of India (1996).
Key facts regarding CEC:
- Structure: It consists of a Chairman and three expert members elected for a term of three years. Their tenure can be extended once till they attain the age of 60 years.
- A serving officer will act as the Chief Coordination Officer (CCO). This officer will not be below the rank of Deputy Inspector General/Director of Forests in the Government of India.
- ‘The Chairman and CCO should have experience in relation to environment, forests and wild animals. Also, there will be one expert member each related to these subjects.
Source – Down to Earth
