Bengaluru: While the nation was caught up the elections, the union environment ministry re-engineered the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2006. The proposed changes are with regard to the environmental clearance for industries.
Infrastructural projects need EIA before they are taken up. The impact of any project on the environment is assessed and it is crucial for its implementation.
The notification, dated April 15, stated, “As per the principal notification has undergone substantial changes over the years. The Ministry has decided to re-engineer the entire notification in line with the amendments issues, office memorandum and circulars issued from time to time and the experience gained over the years in implementation of EIA notification.”
The Zero Draft of the EIA notification 2019 is sent to the secretaries of the environment departments of the state, chairperson and member secretaries of the state pollution control boards.
The ministry has asked for the comments from the state governments within a month and if the draft gets notified it will replace the EIA notification of 2006.
One of the controversial points in the draft, which may upset the environmentalists, is that the expansion of all projects up to 50% of the existing capacity in various sectors will be exempted from any kind of public consultation.
The changes if accepted recommend the local urban bodies or municipalities to give clearance to building and construction projects. The 2006, EIA notification had replaced the 1994 EIA notification.
The zero-draft proposed the government to create a district level environment impact assessment authority for clearances related to mining.
