Sonia Gandhi Condemns Government's Environmental Policies Amid Deepening Crisis

Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, has penned an editorial criticising the Indian governments environmental policies, asserting that the nation faces a profound and ongoing environmental crisis. Gandhi attributes this crisis to years of policy disregard, highlighting several key concerns.

She specifically pointed to the governments approval of mining operations across significant areas of the Aravalli range, occurring concurrently with persistent toxic smog issues in northern India.

Furthermore, Gandhi cited alarming reports of groundwater contamination, including uranium in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana, which she described as a full-scale public health emergency.

The editorial also argued that environmental laws have been systematically weakened through amendments to forest conservation rules, diluted EIA regulations, and relaxed coastal policies. Gandhi contended that these changes prioritise corporate interests over ecological survival.

She also accused the government of undermining local communities, citing attempts to evict families from tiger reserves. Gandhi urged for an immediate halt to deforestation and illegal mining, the restoration of regulatory bodies like the National Green Tribunal, and the adoption of a cooperative, law-driven approach to environmental governance, advocating for a "new deal" for Indias environmental future.