India will set up an environment regulator that will
have powers to appraise industrial projects. But it will not have powers to penalize
violators of green laws.
This development follows inter-ministerial and
inter-state consultations over the months after a Supreme Court order to set up
an autonomous body for appraising projects and authorizing the body to penalize
offenders.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said his ministry had inter-ministerial
consultations and consultations with states for setting up of a
regulator/authority.
Javadekar added the regulator would oversee the
process of accreditation of environment impact assessment (EIA) consultants,
improve the quality of EIA reports and appraisal, appraise projects for
environment clearance, enforce conditions of project proponents seeking green
nod and implementing the National Forest Policy (NFP).
The Supreme Court had, on January 6, directed the government to appoint a national regulator. The court had suggested an independent body be set up for appraising projects, enforcing environmental clearance conditions and imposing penalties.
The Supreme Court had, on January 6, directed the government to appoint a national regulator. The court had suggested an independent body be set up for appraising projects, enforcing environmental clearance conditions and imposing penalties.
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