Abstract
This paper reviews the state of major sub-sectors of environment in India and examines the effectiveness of policy and other measures adapted to improve their condition. While country's contribution to global environmental problems such as global warming and ozone depletion may be lower than other transitional economies, the local problems related to air, water, land, etc., within the country, are quite disturbing. Environmental challenges of development strategies are enormous and as such issues are no more confined to one discipline or one nation. Thus, to deal with multi-dimensional and multi-national problems, appropriate policies are required at international, national and local levels. In the paper, it is suggested that environmental policies should be based on facts and rational calculations rather than emotions and debate. If pollution abatement measures are too stringent polluters may not follow them and find alternative ways to bye-pass them. Also, if these measures are too lenient, development processes will go on deteriorating our ecosystem. Therefore, government policies and measures should focus on a strategy that strikes a balance between environmental care and the economic development in the country. The SEZ policy is seen as a part of a larger objective of grabbing control of natural resources. There are many serious environmental issues which affect the sustainability and are explained in the following sections. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the impact of SEZs on the environment and to propose the possible sustainable policies to overcome the same.
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