Centre extends tenure of green permits

What is the News?

The Union Environment Ministry has extended the tenure of Environmental Clearances(EC) granted for existing or new projects in several sectors.

What is Environmental Clearance(EC)?

Environmental Clearance(EC) is a process that is mandatory for projects that are beyond a certain size.

Purpose: To assess the impact of the planned project on the environment and people and to try to abate/minimize the same.

Process: It involves an environmental impact assessment of a potential project and sometimes public hearings involving the local people who might be affected by the project.

What is the issue with the Environment Clearance(EC) process currently?

One of the conditions of an EC is that a project must begin construction in the period that it has been granted an EC and if unable, a fresh process must begin.

However, due to multiple factors like delays in forest clearance, land acquisition, local issues, rehabilitation and resettlement and other factors which are often beyond the control of project proponents, the projects are delayed. This leads to projects being financially unviable.

What has the Union Environment Ministry done to overcome this issue? 

The Environment Ministry has extended the tenure of environmental clearances(EC) granted for existing or new projects in several sectors such as: 

– EC for river valley projects will now have a 13-year validity.

– EC for nuclear power projects or those involving the processing of nuclear fuel will now have a 15-year validity.

– Mining leases are granted for a period of 50 years but the EC is valid for 30 years.

– Projects and activities other than the mining and river valley projects will have their EC valid for 10 years.

Source: This post is based on the article “Centre extends tenure of green permits” published in The Hindu on 17th April 2022.