Question : ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY

(a) whether the Government has any mechanism to monitor the functioning of State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government intends to delegate power of environment clearance of `B` category projects in and around 10 Kms. radius of the critically polluted areas to respective State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard so far along with the time frame for its implementation; and

(d) if not, the other measures taken for speedy clearance of such projects?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) As per Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006, category ‘B’ projects for grant of prior Environment Clearance (EC), are handled by the concerned State / Union Territory Level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs). As of now, SEIAAs have been constituted in 27 States / UTs. This Ministry obtains monthly report from SEIAAs regarding disposal of cases and pendency of proposals with them.

(b)to (d) This Ministry has issued amendment Notification vide S.O.1599 (E) dated 25.06.2014 wherein “General Condition” in the EIA Notification has been amended to provide inter-alia that only those category ‘B’ projects will be appraised at the Central level as category ‘A’ projects which are located in whole or in part within 5 km from the boundary of critically polluted areas as identified by the Central Pollution Control Board. This implies that category ‘B’ projects located between 5 km and 10 km from the boundary of the critically polluted areas could now be dealt with by the concerned SEIAAs subject to stipulations stated in the aforesaid amendment notification.