Lok Sabha Question No. 2459 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-09
Subject: Environmental/Forest Clearances
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAJIV PRATAP RUDY, V. SATHYABAMA, G. HARI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2459

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2018

## Environmental/Forest Clearances

2459.  SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY: SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA: SHRI G. HARI:

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

- (a) whether  a  number  of  major  projects  are  pending  for  grant  of  environmental/forest clearances;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the number of years since the said project is pending including the present status of each of the project, sector and State-wise;
- (c) the  number  of  proposals/projects  seeking  environmental/forest  clearances  received online through the web portal and the details of such projects/proposals cleared so far;
- (d) whether the Government has decided to clear projects within a strict time period; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  clear  all  the pending projects expeditiously?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c) The environmental clearance process for new projects will comprise maximum of four stages, Screening; Scoping; Public Consultation and Appraisal, all of which may  not  apply  to  particular  cases  as  set  forth  in  the  Environment  Impact  Assessment Notification,  2006. The  Ministry  received  2892  applications  for  environmental  clearances since  inception  of  online  submission  out  of  which  1862  environmental  clearances  were accorded.  Similarly,  Ministry  received    3082  applications  for  forest  clearances  and  out  of which 2032 forest clearances were accorded.
- (d) The average time period for environmental clearances has come down from 600  days  to  to  140  days  now.  The  year  wise  details  of  average  time  taken  for  grant  of environmental clearance is as follows:

| Year          | Number of days taken to grant Environment Clearance   |
|---------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Prior to 2014 | 600 days                                              |
| 2015          | 184                                                   |
| 2016          | 223                                                   |
| 2017          | 177                                                   |
| 2018          | 140                                                   |

(e) The  Ministry  has  taken  several  steps  to  expedite  the  process  of  environmental  and forest  clearances  which inter  alia include  online  system  of  processing  of  environmental clearances, introduction of Short Message Service (SMS) functionality for Project proponent, auto alert system; separate module to track the progress of recommended projects, delegation of powers to Regional Empowered Committee (REC) to dispose of proposals seeking forest clearance to linear projects, etc.