File Photo: Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today asked his Ministry officials to "impose" the green laws to protect country's air, water and forest resources.
"We have the laws, but we don't implement (them)...We must impose... and the new government's commitment is on compliance," Mr Javadekar said addressing the officials at a national workshop on linkages between National Action Plan on Climate Change and state Action Plan on Climate Change.
His statement came a day after senior Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh alleged that the current government was "dismantling" the edifice of green laws in the name of achieving "faster economic growth".
Mr Ramesh had also said the job of the environment ministry is to protect the country's environment and forest resources and not promote economic growth.
Mr Javadekar pulled up the green ministry officials for not strictly imposing rules particularly on plastic waste management and asked the officials to "act" on the larger interest of the people of the country.
He said plastic bags measuring 40 microns and below in width are totally banned in the country but "we don't take any action."
"What actions we can take to make a plastic carry bag waste free India. We have a law on it. But we don't take any action. There is a law. We can ban production...but we don't act."
"You must act on the larger interest of the people. Our vision is very clear - clean water, clean air, clean energy, clean environment and more green. You have to play around it," the Minister said.