Question raised in Lok Sabha on Environmental Clearance, 19/07/2016
Question raised in Lok Sabha on Environmental Clearance, 19/07/2016. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has taken various initiatives to make the environmental clearance process more transparent and expeditious, without compromising the integrity of the environment. The initiatives inter alia include use of Information Communication Technology for environment clearance process, amendment of Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 delegating more powers to State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs), standardization of Terms of Reference for preparation of Environment Impact Assessment Report and Environment Management Plan, laying down timeline for finalisation of Terms of Reference in 30 days, exemption of highway projects in border States from scoping requirement and linear projects in border States from the requirement of public hearing subject to suitable conditions, exemption of construction of schools, colleges, hostels for educational institutions from the requirement of obtaining prior Environmental Clearance, delegation of the power to grant environmental clearance for mining of minor minerals (including sand mining) for 5 ha. of individual lease and 25 ha. in cluster, to District Level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (DEIAAs), etc. A total of 2306 projects were received in the Ministry during the last three years and the current year. The details are enclosed at Annexure-I. A total of 432 projects are pending for environmental clearance as on 30.6.2016. The details are enclosed at Annexure-II.