Summary:
Seeking to simplify environmental clearance processes for building projects, the ministry has made changes in the EIA rules which now integrate environmental condition in building bye-laws to fast-track permissions. The NGT has passed a detailed judgement on the subject (earlier) which has not been overturned by the Supreme Court ".NGT will hear the matter on February 2. It also argued that through the notification it has attempted to decentralise the clearance process and integrate the environmental conditions in building permissions. "World over, this responsibility of granting building permission and incorporating and enforcing environmental concerns in these projects during construction and post-construction is being done by the local authorities. The ministry has taken note of the apprehensions regarding present lack of capacity in local au thorities for undertaking such task, and built in corrective measures to take into account the fact that local authorities are best placed and suited to undertake this task most effectively," the ministry said.Environmental lawyer Sanjay Upadhyay , however, said, "In my view, the NGT does have the jurisdiction although a limited one..