You are the district magistrate in a district of a hill state. An NRI tycoon is planning to arrange a large wedding ceremony in your district. Given the scale of the ceremony, a feasibility report was prepared. The report has called for a cautious approach and has raised concerns regarding its impact on the environment. Recognizing this, the NRI has offered extra compensation for the prospective environmental damages. Also, the local MLA and some prominent residents are arguing that such a wedding can help in developing the district as a tourist hotspot and turn it into a popular wedding destination, bringing prosperity for the residents. Given the situation, answer the following: (a) Identify the stakeholders in the given situation and their respective interests. (b) Highlight the options available to you and the course of action you will take, giving reasons for the same.

(a)

Interests of Stakeholders

(I) NRI tycoon

1. Conduct the marriage ceremony
2. Environmental damages paid to ensure no interference by administration
3. Ensure no obstacle to the function

(II) Local People + MLA

1. Economic development
2. Tourism to provide wealth and employment
3. No large scale impact of environment

(III) M & DM

1. Development as per wishes of people
2. Environmental protection as per Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

(IV) Environment

1. Be in of its pristine glory

(b) Options that are available

1. Stop the marriage ceremony on the basis of feasibility report
2. Allow marriage ceremony as the local community wishes as per citizen-centric governance.
3. File petition with National Green Tribunal to decide
4. Request for decision from higher authorities
5. Make arrangements for protecting critical environment features while allowing the function

Course of action

I will choose option 5

1. Request a detailed study to split environmental damages into Reversible and Irreversible
2. Request the NRI tycoon to give details of ceremony
3. Ban those activities that cause irreversible damage to environment
4. Calculate the Net Present Value of the reversible damages along with an extra 10% for compensatory afforestation as environmental damages
5. Allow NRI tycoon marriage with those activities that do not cause irreversible damage.
6. Use the environmental damages for reversing the impact and improve the ecosystem further.
7. Request the NRI to have a green marriage to advertise eco-friendly eco-friendliness.