While one would expect a ministry with this name to protect environment and forests, one of the four terms of reference in the notification constituting a high-level committee to review five green laws gives an ominous indication: “to recommend specific amendments needed in each of these Acts to bring them in line with current objectives to meet requirements.” These words clearly couch intention with clever jugglery of words...What the notification actually does is to set the ground rules for an unequal battle between environment and development....The committee was formed in a surprise move to assess the status of implementation of each of these Acts vis-à-vis their objectives and to examine and take into account various court orders and judicial pronouncements with regard to them...