Lok Sabha Question No. 282 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Green Clearance for Onshore and Offshore Explorations
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Hibi Eden

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 282

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2020

## Green Clearance for Onshore and Offshore Explorations

## *282.   SHRI HIBI EDEN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has waived off or proposes to waive off coastal regulation zone clearance for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration projects and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  exempted  hydrocarbon  exploration  activities  from  the Environmental Impact Assessment and public consultation mechanism and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the effective alternate mechanisms proposed by the Government to assess environmental impact of such projects and to regulate/supervise the projects; and
- (d) the details of the grievance redressal mechanism put in place or proposed to redress the grievances of people relating to such projects?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (D) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 282 FOR ANSWER ON 13.03.2020 REGARDING 'GREEN CLEARANCE FOR ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE EXPLORATIONS' RAISED BY SHRI HIBI EDEN.

- (a) As per the extant provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2011, exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas and all associated activities and facilities thereto in the CRZ areas requires prior CRZ clearance from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
- (b) &(c) Under  the  provisions  of  the  Environmental  Impact  Assessment  (EIA) Notification, 2006, the Government has re-categorized the On-shore and Off-shore oil and  gas  exploration  projects  or  activities  from  Category  'A'  to  Category  'B2'  vide notification number S.O. 236 (E) dated the 16 th January, 2020. The project proponent is required to apply to the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the  State  Coastal  Zone  Management  Authority  for  clearances. The  State Environmental Assessment Committee (SEAC) examines and appraises such projects with respect to environmental impact and proposed mitigation measures and thereafter makes appropriate recommendation to the SEIAA. Likewise, the concerned Coastal Zone  Management  Authorities  also  appraise  the  project  in  respect  of  specific provisions  under  the  Coastal  Regulation  Zone  notification.  Such  projects  are  also required  to  obtain  consent  under  Air  and  Water  Acts  from  the  respective  State Pollution Control Boards.
- (d) The project proponent is required to submit six monthly environmental statements and compliance to the conditions stipulated in the clearances issued by the SEIAA.  The  regional  office  of  MoEFCC  and  the  concerned  agencies  in  the  State Governments  are  responsible  for monitoring  and  compliance  of  the  stipulated conditions  in  the  clearance.  A  provision  for  appeal  against  the  Environmental Clearance granted, lies with the National Green Tribunal, if preferred within a period of  thirty  days  as  prescribed  under  Section  16  of  the  National  Green  Tribunal  Act, 2010.

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