Lok Sabha Question No. 1424 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Guidelines for Environmental Clearance
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ANJU BALA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.1424

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2017

## Guidelines for Environmental Clearance

## 1424. SHRIMATI ANJU BALA

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

- (a) Whether the Government has approved 'eco-friendly' guidelines framed by Dehradunbased  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  (WII)  that  entails  safeguards  for  animals  and  birds  to speed up approval process of linear projects in wildlife areas;
- (b) If so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has notified Tribunal, Appellate Tribunal and other Authorities (Qualification, Experience and Other Conditions of Members) Rules 2017;
- (d) If so, the details thereof and its implications on the present rules;
- (e) whether the Government is planning to set up a databank of legislations that can aid in better conservation of flora, fauna and rivers in the country;
- (f) If so, the details thereof; and
- (g) The fresh steps/initiatives being taken by the Government for clean environment?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) , (b) Yes, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has approved 'Ecofriendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructures on Wildlife' guidelines  framed  by  the  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  (WII),  Dehradun.  These guidelines provide standard template on structural and non-structural measures for mitigating the impact of roads, railway lines and power lines on wildlife including birds.
- (c), (d) Ministry  of  Finance,  Department  of  Revenue  has  notified  the  Tribunal,  Appellate Tribunal and other Authorities   (Qualification, Experience and Other Conditions of Members) Rules 2017 (copy enclosed).
- (e), (f) Conservation of flora, fauna and rivers in the country is covered within the ambit of extent  legislations  which  include  the  Forest  (Conservation)  Act  1980,  Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Environment (Protection) Act 1986, Water (Prevention and Control  of  Pollution)  Act  1974,  Biological  Diversity  Act  2002  and  Rules  and Regulations  under  these  Acts.  The  Forest  Service  officers  at  the  Central  and  the State levels are responsible for conservation and management of forests. Further the Botanical  Survey  of  India  and  Zoological  Survey  of  India  are  mandated  with inventorisation  and  monitoring  of  flora  and  fauna  of  the  country.  The  Namami Ganaga Programme, a flagship programme of the Government is aimed at effective pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of the National River Ganga.
- (g) Government has taken number steps for clean environment including promotion of afforestation  through  utilization  of  CAMPA  funds,  Urban  Forest  and  School Nursery, Greening Highways, Railways and Banks of Ganga; Notification of ecosensitive zones as buffer for protection around protected areas, installation of 24x7 real time air and effluent monitoring system pollution industrial units, upgradation of emission standards for many industries. Namami Ganga Scheme for cleaning of Ganga river, revamping of the waste management rules, revamping comprehensive environment pollution index (CEPI), launch of national air quality index, intensive conservation and management of mangroves and coral reefs, ratification of the Paris Climate  Agreement  with  target  of  reducing  emission  intensively  of  the  Indian economy, increase of non-fossil fuel share of energy mix and increasing the carbons sink.

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