Lok Sabha Question No. 67 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-02
Subject: Time Taken for Environmental Clearance
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 67

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2018

## Time Taken for Environmental Clearance

## 67. SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the details of the average time taken for environmental clearances as per the norms laid out by the Government;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  reduced  the  average  time  period  for  environmental clearances from 600 days to190 days and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  details  of  the  measures  taken  to  ensure  that  environmental  impact  assessments  are conducted thoroughly;
- (d) whether  the  said  measures  include  screening  environmental  impact  assessment  report preparation, public hearings and appraisals and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether all stakeholders are given adequate notice before decisions regarding clearance are made and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether stakeholders are involved in public hearings, especially at the grassroot level and if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) & (b)          The average time period for environmental clearances has come down from 600 days  to  162  days  during  2017.  The  year  wise  details  of  average  time  taken  for  grant  of environmental clearance is as follows:
- (c) & (d)          The Government has taken several measures to ensure that environmental impact assessment  is  conducted  thoroughly  which, inter alia, include  screening  for  category  'B' projects  /  activities;  Scoping,  Public  consultation  and  appraisal  of  category  'A'  and  'B' proposals  by  the  Expert  Appraisal  Committee;  mandating  the  submission  of  environmental

| Year          | Number of days taken to grant Environment Clearance   |
|---------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Prior to 2014 | 600 days                                              |
| 2015          | 184                                                   |
| 2016          | 223                                                   |
| 2017          | 177                                                   |

impact assessment reports as per the generic structure prescribed in the Environmental Impact Assessment  Notification,  2006  as  amended  time  to  time;  mandating  the  preparation  and presentation of environmental impact assessment report and environmental management plan by the environmental consultant organizations which are accredited for a particular sector and the category of the project for the sector with the Quality Council of India or National Accreditation Board for Education and Training or any other agency as notified by the Ministry; mandating certificate of Compliance of earlier Environment Clearance conditions from the Regional Offices of the Ministry or State Pollution Control Board in case of expansion proposals etc.

(e) & (f)         The stakeholders are involved in the public hearing conducted at site or in its close proximity  and  also  obtain  response  in  writing  from  other  concerned  persons  having  plausible stake in the environmental aspects of the project or activity. On receipt of application for public hearing  by  the  project  proponent,  the  member  secretary  of  the  concerned  State/  UT  Pollution Control Board/Committee finalizes the date and time and exact venue for the conduct of public hearing  and  advertises  the  same  in  one  major  National  Daily  and  Regional  vernacular  daily  / official  State  Language.  The      Agenda,  Proceedings  of  the  Expert  Appraisal  Committee  and Environment  Clearance  letter  are  posted  on  the  Ministry's  Website  for  Public/Stakeholder's access. Further, it is mandatory for the project proponent to advertise the environmental clearance granted for their project along with the environmental conditions and safeguards, in at least two local newspapers of the district   or State where the project is located and in addition, this shall also be displayed in the project proponent's website. The copies of the environmental clearance shall  be  submitted  by  the  project  proponents  to  the  Heads  of  local  bodies,  Panchayats  and Municipal  Bodies  in  addition  to  the  relevant  offices  of  the  Government  who  in  turn  have  to display the same for 30 days from the date of receipt.

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