Corridor should not be harmful to environment: Siddhartha Jain

Vijayawada: The Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) has to be implemented without negative impact on the environment said the Commissioner of Industries Siddharth Jain. At the same time, interests of stakeholders have to be protected. He participated as chief guest at the orientation programme organised by Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a hotel here on Monday.

On the occasion, Jain said that high quality employment generation has to be created without disturbing the environment. Social justice and gender equality should be considered for the  stakeholders, he said.  

He said that safeguard policy shall be implemented with utmost human dignity and concerns for Mother Nature. He told the gathering that iconic development can be achieved and employment generation could manifold with support for industrial infrastructure being provided by Andhra Pradesh government.

Environment specialist of ADB Ninette Pajarillaga spoke about the documents which act as tools for safeguards implementation. She said the loan agreement, facility administration manual, Environmental assessment and review framework (EARF) and resettlement framework as well as indigenous peoples planning framework (IPPF) will work as tools for safeguards implementation of big projects like industrial corridors.

Ninette vouched for proper resettlement of indigenous people that may be affected by the project implementation. She stressed on labour standards that are need to be maintained to protect the interests of the stakeholders.

Environment Safeguards consultant for ADB, Anik Ajmera said that as per the ADB norms, VCIC falls under category B project that needs monitoring and mitigation measures but will not fall under category A that has potential impact on environment. 

Social Safeguards Specialist for ADB, V. Chandrasekharan, focused on assessment of involuntary resettlement that involves the acquisition of land according to law even after refusal of the displaced people.  He focused on preparation and implementation of resettlement plans that mitigate the damage and minimise the impact on displaced people.