Lok Sabha Question No. 1853 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-12
Subject: Environmental Clearance for projects
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane, Arun Sao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1853

TO BE ASWERED ON 12.02.2021

## Environmental Clearance for projects

## 1853.   SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE: SHRI ARUN SAO:

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

- (a) whether  a  number  of  projects  relating  to  construction  of  roads,  hydro  and  thermal power  railways  and  coal  mining  are  pending  with  the  Union  Government  for forest/environmental clearance;
- (b) if so, the project-wise and State/UT-wise details thereof and the reasons thereof along with the total number of such cases received from various States;
- (c) the total number of such projects granted forest/environmental clearance during each of the last three years and the current year, project-wise and State/UT-wise;
- (c) the  current  status  of  such  projects  along  with  the  time  by  which  such  projects  are likely to be granted forest/environmental clearance;
- (d) whether the Union Government  proposes to delegate the power of granting forest/environmental clearance of such projects to State authorities; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) Grant  of  approval  under  Forest  (Conservation)  Act,  1980  and  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is a continuous process. All the proposals for approval for use of forest land for non-forestry use (roads, hydro and thermal power railways and coal mining) are processed as per the provision of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Rules, and Guidelines frame thereunder.  Proposals received from the States/UTs  for  various  non-forestry  purposes  are  examined  by  the  Central Government  for  their  completeness.  Prompt  decision  is  taken  by  the  Central Government on the proposal which are complete in all respect.
- (b) & (c) During the last three years a total no. of 1618 proposals of the above categories have been received from the States/UTs. Out of which, a total no of 725 projects have been granted final approval under the FC Act, 1980. The States/UTs wise details of these proposals is annexed at Annexure-I.

Similarly, the Ministry has received 133 applications for Environmental

Clearance  (EC)  relating  to  construction  of  roads,  hydro  and  thermal  power projects and coal mining projects during April, 2018- 05 th February, 2021. Out of which, 105 projects have been granted approval under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The State/UT-wise details of such projects granted are at Annexure-II .

The Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003 (FC Rules) and EIA Notification, 2006 lays  down  detailed  process  for  application,  appraisal  and  grant  of  forest clearance  (FC)  and  environmental  clearance  (EC).  The  said  notification  also specifies time period for processing and grant of FC/ECs. In some of the cases the  time  period  may  be  more  because  of  litigations,  directions  of  courts/ tribunals and additional project specific studies desired by the expert committees, etc.

- (d) & (e) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changehad already delegated the powers  to  Regional  Empowered  Committees  (RECs)  constituted  at each Integrated Regional Office to finally dispose of proposals involving diversion of upto40  hectares of forest land (except the proposals relating to  mining, regularisation of encroachments and hydel projects) and all proposals involving diversion  of  forest  land  for  linear  projects  irrespective  of  area  of  forest  land involved.

As per the provisions of EIA Notification 2006 , the powers have already been delegated  to  the  State  Level  Environment  Impact  Assessment  Authorities (SEIAAs)  to  grant  EC  for  the  category  B  projects  in  the  schedule  of  the Notification.

***

## Annexure-I

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  TO  (c)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1853 By SHRI  KRUPAL  BALAJI  TUMANE,  SHRI  ARUN  SAO REGARDING  'ENVIRONMENTAL  CLEARANCE  FOR  PROJECTS'  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON

| S. No.   | States / UTs        |   Total proposals received |   Stage-II approval accorded |   Stage-I approval accorded |   Proposals at different stages of processing |   Closed /Rejected /Returned/Revoked /Withdrawn |
|----------|---------------------|----------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh      |                         13 |                            0 |                          12 |                                            13 |                                               0 |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh   |                          7 |                            0 |                           2 |                                             7 |                                               0 |
| 3        | Assam               |                          1 |                            1 |                           0 |                                             0 |                                               0 |
| 4        | Bihar               |                         53 |                           26 |                          27 |                                            27 |                                               0 |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh        |                         20 |                            2 |                           8 |                                            18 |                                               0 |
| 6        | Dadar& Nagar Haveli |                          5 |                            4 |                           1 |                                             1 |                                               0 |
| 7        | Daman and Diu       |                          1 |                            0 |                           1 |                                             1 |                                               0 |
| 8        | Delhi               |                          3 |                            0 |                           1 |                                             3 |                                               0 |
| 9        | Goa                 |                          5 |                            0 |                           2 |                                             5 |                                               0 |
| 10       | Gujarat             |                         75 |                           38 |                          20 |                                            37 |                                               0 |
| 11       | Haryana             |                        448 |                          302 |                         113 |                                           146 |                                               0 |
| 12       | Himachal Pradesh    |                         55 |                           15 |                          11 |                                            38 |                                               2 |
| 13       | Jammu and Kashmir   |                          1 |                            0 |                           1 |                                             1 |                                               0 |
| 14       | Jharkhand           |                         23 |                            3 |                          12 |                                            20 |                                               0 |
| 15       | Karnataka           |                         24 |                            2 |                          15 |                                            21 |                                               1 |
| 16       | Kerala              |                          8 |                            1 |                           6 |                                             7 |                                               0 |
| 17       | Madhya Pradesh      |                         46 |                           19 |                          11 |                                            25 |                                               2 |
| 18       | Maharashtra         |                         60 |                            1 |                          44 |                                            59 |                                               0 |
| 19       | Manipur             |                         12 |                            0 |                           2 |                                            12 |                                               0 |
| 20       | Meghalaya           |                          3 |                            0 |                           2 |                                             3 |                                               0 |
| 21       | Mizoram             |                          5 |                            0 |                           3 |                                             5 |                                               0 |
| 22       | Orissa              |                         36 |                           10 |                          17 |                                            26 |                                               0 |
| 23       | Punjab              |                        279 |                          196 |                          70 |                                            83 |                                               0 |
| 24       | Rajasthan           |                         53 |                           19 |                          15 |                                            34 |                                               0 |
| 25       | Sikkim              |                         19 |                            0 |                          11 |                                            19 |                                               0 |
| 26       | Tamil Nadu          |                         10 |                            2 |                           4 |                                             8 |                                               0 |
| 27       | Telangana           |                         34 |                            3 |                          18 |                                            31 |                                               0 |
| 28       | Tripura             |                         13 |                            3 |                           6 |                                            10 |                                               0 |
| 29       | Uttar Pradesh       |                        156 |                           67 |                          59 |                                            89 |                                               0 |
| 30       | Uttarakhand         |                        145 |                           10 |                          76 |                                           131 |                                               4 |
| 31       | West Bengal         |                          5 |                            1 |                           3 |                                             4 |                                               0 |
|          | Grand Total         |                       1618 |                          725 |                         573 |                                           884 |                                               9 |

## Annexure-II

|        | STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1853 By SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, SHRI ARUN SAO REGARDING 'ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR PROJECTS' DUE FOR REPLY ON 12.02.2021   | STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1853 By SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, SHRI ARUN SAO REGARDING 'ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR PROJECTS' DUE FOR REPLY ON 12.02.2021   | STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1853 By SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, SHRI ARUN SAO REGARDING 'ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR PROJECTS' DUE FOR REPLY ON 12.02.2021   | STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1853 By SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, SHRI ARUN SAO REGARDING 'ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR PROJECTS' DUE FOR REPLY ON 12.02.2021   |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No. | States / UTs                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Total proposals received                                                                                                                                                                                                  | EC Granted                                                                                                                                                                                                                | Proposals at different stages of processing                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 2      | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 3      | Assam                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 4      | Bihar                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 5      | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 16                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 13                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 6      | Dadar& Nagar Haveli                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 7      | Daman and Diu                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 8      | Delhi                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 9      | Goa                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 10     | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 11     | Haryana                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 12     | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 13     | Jammu and Kashmir                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 14     | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 13                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 11                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 15     | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 16     | Kerala                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 17     | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 14                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 12                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 18     | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 18                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 18                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 19     | Manipur                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 20     | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 21     | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 22     | Orissa                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 13                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 10                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 23     | Punjab                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 24     | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 25     | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 26     | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 27     | Telangana                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 12                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 28     | Tripura                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 29     | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 30     | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 31     | West Bengal                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|        | Grand Total                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 133                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 105                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 28                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |