On the ministry's monitorable targets and goals to check environmental degradation, the committee said, "It is obvious that the targets set are entirely unrealistic, going by the record so far. No credible base has been stated in support of the achievability of the targets within a specified timeframe."
The panel noted that under the 12th Plan, only Rs 6,903 crore of the Rs 17,874 crore had been provided to the ministry, of which it had been able to spend only Rs 5,200 crore.
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Of the Rs 4,420-crore planned outlay for the ministry, allocation of only Rs 1,446 crore had been made, about Rs 500 crore less than last year's allocation for 2015-2016. The Departments of Forest and Wildlife and the National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board bore the brunt of the cut, the panel said.
In 2014-15, the allocation was 0.01 per cent of gross domestic product.
The committee said the ministry had only Rs 40 crore to spend on a programme to help clean about 300 dirty river stretches. Overall, under the 12th Plan, only Rs 1,500 crore was provided for cleaning rivers other than the Ganga. Of this, only Rs 388.38 crore had been released in the first three years and Rs 40 crore this year. "The committee fails to understand the logic behind a drastic cut in the allocation to the National River Conservation Plan, despite the fact that more and more rivers and water bodies are being polluted," it said.
On the lack of action to control pollution from industries, the panel said the "developments speak eloquently of utter ad-hocism in approach, absolute lack of transparency and utter neglect towards environmental concerns of the ministry".
It recommended the ministry ensure "plans prepared for restoration of environmental quality are strictly implemented within a given timeframe and only then industrial activities and developmental projects (in polluted industrial areas) be allowed".