Environment vs Development

The new government's focus on development and economic progress is turning out to be at the cost of the environment

One issue is the allotment of coal blocks, which was on hold because of the scam but it is going to go back on auction soon. These mines are in heavily forested areas. Also the remaining tigers live where the coal is at.
No green nod needed for 74 coal blocks to be auctioned in February - Economic Times

"In these 74 blocks, the clearances that have been given in the past shall pass on to the new allotees. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is working out a formulation. But in principle they have agreed that there would not be any requirement for fresh clearances," Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said.
"Land acquisition is not an issue for these blocks, nor environment clearances," he added.

For more information and getting invovled
Coal versus Forest | Greenpeace India

Another problem is the dilution of the Forest Rights Act. It is going to become easier to acquire forest land for development

In its attempt to dilute the norms of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) from 2006, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has exempted projects seeking the conversion of plantations categorised as forests after December 13, 1930 that have no tribal population as per the recent census, from the requirements of “initiation and completion of the process for recognition and vesting of forest rights of scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.” The recent order from the Ministry empowers the district administrative authorities to clear the land conversion proposals at their level in these cases.

The Modi Government’s war on environment

On the one hand, despite strict laws in favour of protecting the environment, forest resources continue to be depleted. The total forest cover of the country currently stands at 21%, which is far from the targeted 33% under the National Forest Policy of 1988. On the other hand, bureaucrats and politicians with the authority to provide project clearances at their own discretion have continued to engage in rampant rent-seeking. This has happened while genuine demands of growth have been foiled.

Read more at: Of the environment, by the bureaucrats - Livemint

Discuss

I got confused with development environment. Too much IT for the day.

I can see why you asked this question on "This or That" thread. And like I said earlier I would still say that both Environment and Development have to hand in hand.

Though I agree it's easier said than done. Developing countries are taking help of technologies to keep a good balance of environment. Maybe technology can help us too. At this moment I am not entirely sure how but there has to be many ways. Maybe solar power, multilevel farming to conserve space and creating huge skyscrapers to scale civilization vertically than horizontally?

first develop and then again develop it further so as to make it less impactful on environment. If you don't develop life wll be kind if a standstill.

Vyom said:
Developing countries are taking help of technologies to keep a good balance of environment.

Yep. These are called leapfrog technologies. Leapfrogging - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Developing nations have the unique opportunity of avoiding the catastrophic growth trajectories that industrialized nations have taken by learning from their mistakes.

but that does not seem to be happening here

what is happening here is years of sound policy being undone by a rush for immediate economic gains