Lok Sabha Question No. 1841 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-13
Subject: Environment Impact Assessment Garden City of Bengaluru
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Manne Srinivas Reddy, Y. S. Avinash Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1841 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2023

## Environment Impact Assessment Garden City of Bengaluru

## 1841. SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY: SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY: SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  urged  Legislators  and  Policy  Experts  to  ensure  that Environment  Impact  Assessment  (EIA)  studies  are  done  before giving  the  green  signal  for urban  development projects  in  the  country  as  haphazard  urban  development  has  ruined  the 'Garden City' of Bengaluru as witnessed during a major spell of rain in September 2022 and also in some other States/towns/cities in the last ten years, year-wise; and

(b)  if  so,  the  details  of  such  reports  prepared/implementation  of  recommendations  received and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and (b): Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has prescribed environment impact assessment studies for urban development projects as per Environment Impact  Assessment  Notification,  2006  as  amended.  This  Notification  covers  38  projects which inter  alia include  different  types  of  infrastructure  projects  such  as  Airports,  Ports, Highways,  and  Building  &  Construction  Projects  as  specified  in  the  schedule  of  the  said notification.  All such projects (new or expansion) shall require prior environmental clearance from the concerned regulatory authority, e.g., MoEF&CC and the State Environment Impact Assessment  Authority  (SEIAA)  on  the  recommendation  of  Expert  Appraisal  Committee (EAC) and State Environment Appraisal Committee (SEAC) as the case may be.

State  Environment  Impact  Assessment  Authority  (SEIAA),  Karnataka  is  the  regulatory authority  for  granting  environmental  clearance  to  all  such  projects  on  the  State  including

Bengaluru  city.  SEAC,  Karnataka  appraises  the  projects  based  on  Environment  Impact Assessment/Environment  Management  Plan  studies  carried  out  for  such  projects.  On  the recommendation  of  SEAC,  the  SEIAA  grants  Environmental  Clearance  following  due procedure as per the said notification.

In order to expedite the environment clearance process, a number of steps have been taken by the Union Government, which includes following:

- i. MoEF&CC has launched a single window online PARIVESH portal which automates the  entire  process  of  environment  clearance starting from  submission  of application, preparation of agenda, and preparation of minutes to grant of clearances.
- ii. MoEF&CC  has  taken  various  initiatives  towards  necessary  amendments  in  the policies, and regulations to ensure transparent and simplified process of environment clearance without compromising on rigor of the environmental concerns.

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