Environment clearance becoming a source of corruption: PM

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Concerned over environment
clearance becoming a "source of corruption", India's Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday said the matter needs to be
addressed to make the process fair and hassle-free.

"Environment clearances have become a new form of License
Raj and a source of corruption," he said addressing a national
conference of state ministers of environment and forests here.

Singh said the matter needs to be addressed, so as to
make the process "fair, transparent and hassle-free".

"This is a matter that needs to be addressed. There are
trade-offs that have to be made while balancing developmental
and environmental concern. But the procedures must be fair,
transparent and hassle-free," he said.

The Prime Minister rubbished criticism from developed
nations that India was not doing enough to combat global
warming, saying it fully recognised the importance of the
issue.

He also said domestic capacity should be strengthened to
meet the challenges arising out of growing energy needs.

"We fully recognise not just how important this issue
is to India but also our own obligation to address it," he
said apparently referring to criticism from developed nations.

Singh said the country's energy needs will increase
sharply in the decades to come. "We can and must walk a
different road, an environment-friendly road," he said.

For this, access to new technologies available with
developed countries was required, he said asking States to
create their own action plans consistent with the National
Action Plan on Climate Change unveiled last year. PTI