Lok Sabha Question No. 724 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-23
Subject: Clearances in Eco-sensitive Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Gaurav Gogoi, Amar Singh, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 724

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2021

## Clearances in Eco-sensitive Areas

724. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI: DR. AMAR SINGH: SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:

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

- (a) the details of the rejection rate for clearances in eco-sensitive areas from 2014 till date, year-wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  minimal  rejection  rate  of  1.1  percent  for clearances in eco-sensitive areas during the last four years, and if so, the reasons for the same; and
- (c) whether  this  reflects  on  the  mandate  of  the  National  Board  for  Wildlife  (NBWL)  to safeguard  and  conserve  wildlife  and  habitat  protection  and  if  so,  the  reaction  of  the Government thereto?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) In  pursuance  of  the  order  of  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  dated  04.12.2006  in  Writ Petition (Civil) No. 460 of 2004, developmental projects requiring Environmental Clearanceand falling within eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) around national parks and sanctuaries are considered by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild  Life  (SCNBWL).  The  rate  of  rejection  of  proposals  for  developmental activities falling within ESZ around National Parks and Sanctuaries considered by the SCNBWL is as given below:
- (b) Proposals  for  developmental  activities  requiring  environmental  clearance  inside Eco-sensitive Zones (ESZ) around National Parks and Sanctuaries are forwarded for consideration by SCNBWL after thorough scrutiny and mitigative measures by

|   S.No |   Year |   Rate of rejection (in percentage) |
|--------|--------|-------------------------------------|
|      1 |   2014 |                                0    |
|      2 |   2015 |                                1.47 |
|      3 |   2016 |                                2.33 |
|      4 |   2017 |                                1.9  |
|      5 |   2018 |                                0    |
|      6 |   2019 |                                2.22 |
|      7 |   2020 |                                0    |
|      8 |   2021 |                                0    |

State Government and State Board for Wild Life headed by the respective Chief Ministers.  Incomplete  proposals  are  returned  to  State  Governments  by  the Ministry.  The  SCNBWL  also  comprising  of  expert  members  takes  informed decisions on the proposals placed for their consideration.

Further, in pursuance of the order of Hon'ble Supreme Court dated 05.10.2015 in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 202/1995, all the recommendations of the SCNBWL are forwarded  to  the  Central  Empowered  Committee  (appointed  by  the  Hon'ble Supreme  Court).  In  the  last  four  years,  the  SCNBWL  has  recommended  98.6 percent proposals for developmental activities falling within ESZ around National Parks and Sanctuaries.

- (c) The National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) is constituted as per the Section 5A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The mandate of the NBWL is to promote the conservation  and  development  of  wild  life  and  forests.  As  per  the  Wild  Life (Protection), Act, 1972, the SCNBWL is constituted to promote the conservation and development of wild life and forests, to advise the Central Government and the State Governments regarding wild life conservation, to make recommendations regarding management of National Parks, Sanctuaries etc.

During the last four years, the SCNBWL has also recommended the following for the betterment of wild life and its habitat:

- i. Inclusion of critically endangered species for Recovery Programme under Development  of  Wild  Life  Habitats  for  conservation  of  species  such  as Northern  River  Terrapin,  Clouded  Leopard,  Arabian  Sea  Humpback Whale, Red Panda, Caracal,
- ii. Implementation of guidelines named, ' Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure on Wild Life ',
- iii. Action Plan for Vulture Conservation,
- iv. National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-2031),
- v. Conservation of Gangetic River Dolphin,
- vi. Advisory on Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation,
- vii. Monitoring implementation of terms and conditions of recommendation of SCNBWL,
- viii. Directions to States/UTs to  comply with Sustainable  Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016 and Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020,
- ix. Advisories to States/UTs for expansion of protected area network.

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