Development can't take place at cost of ecology: Jayanthi Natarajan

NEW DELHI: Often under attack over delays in green clearances, the Environment Ministry today asserted that development cannot take place at the cost of ecology and that green nod will be given only after "fair" and "transparent" assessment of projects.

Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan said her ministry was not an "obstacle" in the path of development but underlined that scarce natural resources cannot be replaced with money, coal or iron ore.

"There can be no development without environment," she said addressing a function to mark the World Environment Day themed 'Think. Eat. Save: Reduce Your Foodprint'.

"When environmental clearances come, we, at the ministry, have to be very sure that the concerns with which we look at projects should be totally objective, fair, accountable, transparent and absolutely clear to the people who are asking for those clearances so that nobody can say that environment is standing on their way," Natarajan said.

She emphasised that "there can be no sustainable development unless environment is given back its right place".

The minister said it would not be possible for the country to achieve sustainable progress "unless we dispel all myths that environment is an obstacle, a hurdle on the path of progress".

Her comments assume significance as the Environment Ministry is often attacked over delay in clearances to major projects.

"Development Vs Environment.. There is no versus," Natarajan said, adding, "Natural resources cannot be replaced with money, cannot be replaced with coal, cannot be replaced with iron ore."