India, Jan. 20 -- Oil and gas exploration poses huge risk to islands, fishing areas, breeding grounds and migratory routes, says CSE expert

The Centre's decision on January 16, 2020, to waive off environmental clearance (EC) for onshore and offshore gas as well as oil exploration projects could have serious consequences, according to an expert from New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

Islands, fishing areas, breeding grounds and migratory routes, could risk serious damage because of the decision.

"Oil and gas exploration is considered to be the most complex among infrastructure development projects. Its consequences are not just restricted to the local environment but a global one," Digvijay Singh Bisht,...