Environmental Crimes and Inadequate Laws

Generally crimes committed get proper punishments once detected. But destructing or polluting of environment, though prevented by laws, do not get any punishment. Laws framed to prevent these do not say anything about proper punishment. May be, at the most, some fine will be collected from the culprits. Our laws are weak in defining the punishments to the individuals who act against the environment.

Sand mining from rivers, without restriction, is an example. There are laws for controlling this activity since large scale sand mining highly deteriorates the nature of the bottom of rivers and adversely affects the water storing capacity of the river which consequently reduces the groundwater resource of the locality. Even when the law restricts this several illegal minings are reported from different rivers within the State. The law breakers are booked in most of the cases, but they are let out after collecting some money as a fine, the amount charged as fine will be nothing when compared to the profit they are making from the deal.

Under this context the recent statement by Sri Jairam Ramesh, Central Minister for Environment and Forests, denying the permission to build a Cricket stadium at Edakochi (in Kochi) is raising the question of punishing the culprits. The denial of the project is based on the ground that the proposed site is coming under the Coastal Regulation Zone I, where no constructions are permitted as per CRZ regulations. Kerala Cricket Association which has come out with the proposal of constructing the stadium projecting that the area is coming under CRZ II. The thick mangrove growth of the area was seen destroyed. The grass coverage of the land was also seen removed using certain chemicals in order to give it a barren land look. Even with all these, the Central Minister denied the request for constructing the cricket stadium. Now the question is what punishment will be given to the culprits who caused the destruction of the environment of that area.

The area proposed is very close to the Kochi backwaters. Mangroves have a very important role in protecting the biodiversity of the area. Several species of fish and other living organisms depend on the mangroves for their birth and growth. Mangroves have proved that they can even protect the shore from tsunami waters. Such important services are done by the mangroves to the living organisms including the mankind.