Environment Ministry Proposes Central Body to Fast-Track Green Clearances
The Union environment ministry has put forward a significant proposal to establish a central body called the Standing Committee on Environment Impact Appraisal (SCEIA) for each state and union territory. This initiative aims to eliminate unnecessary delays in assessing projects for environmental clearances when state-level panels are non-functional.
Addressing Delays in Project Appraisal
The core idea behind this proposal is to ensure continuity in the functioning of state-level committees by creating a separate standing body as an "interim arrangement." This body will be responsible for appraising projects and granting regulatory environmental clearances until state-level bodies are properly constituted.
In numerous instances, state-level committees become non-functional due to the expiry of their terms or other circumstances. This situation frequently leads to significant delays in project assessment, hindering development and regulatory processes.
Draft Notification and Stakeholder Consultation
Based on experiences from previous years, the ministry issued a draft notification on March 5 to seek suggestions from stakeholders. A final decision regarding the establishment of the standing body will be made after processing these valuable inputs.
The draft notification specifies: "In the event the application for grant of EC is not appraised by the concerned State Level Expert Appraisal Committee within a period of 120 days from the date of submission of the complete application by the project proponent, the application shall be automatically forwarded to the SCEIA, through PARIVESH portal, for consideration, which shall appraise such project and provide its recommendations as per the scenarios and within the time frame mentioned."
Guidelines for State-Level Panel Reconstitution
Following the draft notification, the ministry issued a separate office memorandum on March 6. This document outlines guidelines that states must follow when submitting proposals for reconstituting state-level environment impact assessment authorities and expert appraisal committees.
The ministry has directed states to initiate the process for finalizing reconstitution proposals "well in advance." This ensures that complete proposals reach the ministry at least six months before the expiry of state body terms, preventing gaps in functionality.
Key aspects of the proposal include:
- Establishment of SCEIA as an interim arrangement for each state/UT
- Automatic forwarding of applications to SCEIA after 120 days of non-appraisal by state committees
- Utilization of the PARIVESH portal for seamless application transfer
- Advance planning for state-level panel reconstitution to avoid delays
This comprehensive approach demonstrates the ministry's commitment to streamlining environmental clearance processes while maintaining regulatory standards. By addressing systemic delays through both interim measures and better planning for state-level committee reconstitution, the proposal aims to create a more efficient and responsive environmental governance framework.
