Lok Sabha Question No. 3841 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Limited
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Vijay Baghel

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3841

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Limited

3841. SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  complaint  regarding  corruption  in  providing Environment Clearance to Shree Cement Limited, Khapradih, Tehsil Suhela, district Balodabazar (Chhattisgarh);

(b) whether any action has been taken by the Government on said complaint and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any action is required to be taken at the State level in Chhattisgarh in this regard, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether there is any discrepancy in the presentation of facts relating to the said complaint in Lok Sabha and the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government has directed the Integrated Regional Office, Raipur, Chhattisgarh to conduct an inquiry in this matter and if so, the details thereof

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a)to(e) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), including its Sub-Office Raipur, had received complaints regarding the cement plant of M/s Shree Raipur  Cement  Plant  (a  unit  of  M/s  Shree  Cement  Limited)  located  near  Village Khapradih,  Tehsil  Simga,  District  Balodabazar  -  Bhatapara,  Chhattisgarh  alleging irregularities in the grant of Environment Clearance (EC) and non-compliance of its conditions. The complaints were sent to the MoEFCC Sub-Office, Raipur (SO Raipur) for  examination  and  submission  of  report.  The  SO  Raipur  had  examined  the complaints, and submitted a Certified Compliance Report (CCR) and a Factual Status Report vide  letters  dated  10-09-2025  and  11-09-2025,  respectively.  The  CCR  was examined  in  the  MoEFCC  and  steps  were  taken  as  per  the  Standard  Operating Procedure (SoP) issued by the Ministry vide Office Memorandum dated 25-11-2022 for  post-environmental  clearance  monitoring  and  to  ensure  compliance  with  the stipulated  conditions.  As  per  the  Compliance  Status  Report  submitted  by  Project Proponent  and  the  final  Review  Report  by  SO  Raipur,  no  major  violation  of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 has been observed, prima facie for  the cement plant operations. Further, the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) has informed that in a leakage incident, an environment compensation of ₹4,00,000/vide  letter  dated  27.02.2025  and  ₹10,20,000/-  vide  letter  dated  28-03-2025  was imposed on the cement plant for violation of the provisions of Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The MoEFCC had earlier presented the facts related to the cement plant before Lok Sabha in a reply to Unstarred Question No. 3939 titled 'Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Ltd.' on 18-08-2025 based on the information available. The CECB has informed  that  no  question  has  been  received  related  to  the  said  complaint  in Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly till 31-01-2026, hence; there is no discrepancy in presentation of facts.

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- Accordingly, Ministry vide letter dated 10-10-2025 sought an Action Taken Report from the Project  Proponent  (PP).  Further,  vide  letter  dated  03-12-2025,  MoEFCC  sought  a Review Report from the SO Raipur. The Review Report was submitted vide letter dated 05-12-2025 by SO Raipur. The PP submitted an updated compliance Report vide email dated 09-01-2026 in response to the Review Report submitted by the SO Raipur. As per the Review Report, no non-compliance has been reported.