Question : VIOLATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL NORMS

(a) whether the Government has any environmental impact assessment policy to ensure compliance of environmental norms particularly with regard to the industries in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of companies / industrial units of the States inspected by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) during each of the last two years; and

(d) the number of companies /industrial units found violating the norms and the nature of violations along with the details of action taken by the Government thereon?

MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a) & (b): Ministry of Environment & Forests has brought out the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which requires various developmental projects / activities listed there under to obtain prior environmental clearance under the provisions thereof. The proposals received for environmental clearance are appraised through a multi-disciplinary Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) based on the documents inter-alia Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report submitted by the project proponent. Based on the recommendations of the EAC, a decision regarding grant of environmental clearance or otherwise is taken. While granting environmental clearance, various conditions are stipulated, which include compliance to the prescribed emission and discharge standards.

(c): The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has monitored 260 industries during 2008-09 and 248 industries during 2009-10 under Environmental Surveillance Squad (ESS) Programme.

(d): A total of 128 industries have been found violating the pollution control norms during the last two years i.e. 2008-10. In 69 cases directions under Section 18(1)(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 / Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 have been issued to the respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) for getting corrective actions and for remaining 59 cases directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 were issued to industries for corrective measures and compliance of the pollution control norms.