India to introduce environment rating for its states

India’s federal government is planning to establish an environment-friendly rating system for the country’s states in order to increase green accountability. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is reported to be drawing up an Environment Performance Index (EPI), that is expected to be finalized in 2013.

The EPI will have a structure similar to India’s existing Human Development Index and will rate states on parameters such as their management of coastal pollution, solid waste, sewerage, water and the rise in sea level along their coasts.

“With population increasing by the day and the growth of industrialization in the state, we feel the need for EPI for Maharashtra. This will help us analyze the areas we need to improve upon. We will be able to gauge how much we are conserving the environment,” Maharashtra’s minister of state for environment Sachin Ahire told Bikyamasr.com.

Several states are have earned the opprobrium of the central government for illegal mining, violations of coastal environments as well as scant regard for waste disposal norms.

According to sources the guidelines and subsequent rating will be dependent on India’s 2020 projections on climate change effects that are currently being drawn up by Nobel Laureate Dr R K Pachauri.