Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday alleged that the process of preparing environmental assessment report was flawed and the ministry would seek a third-party opinion to evaluate projects."The environment impact assessment reports are a joke. I don't mind saying it publicly because in our system the person who is setting up the project prepares the impact assessment report. What else will he say but that it is okay? I am concerned about this. Even the Supreme Court has raised concerns over this, and so now we have started blacklisting consultants," he said.Ramesh said that the ministry has accredited more than 200 consultants authorising them to do environmental assessment and the government would accept their reports.Asked about the safety of proposed nuclear power plant at Jaitapur, the minister steered clear of it and said that its safety was not his responsibility. His statement came after it was widely reported that the environment ministry would impose stricter safety norms at the coastal nuclear power plant in Maharashtra."There is no manipulation in Jaitapur . The Jaitapur plant was subject to environment impact assessment report that was done by a government body and was given clearance. We imposed 35 conditions for the clearance and as far as safety or radioactive impact is concerned, it is not the duty of the environment ministry, but that of the nuclear power corporation," Ramesh said.