90% of projects granted environment clearance in 2015

NEW DELHI: Ninety per cent of project applications were granted environmental clearance by the government in 2015 as compared to nearly 54 per cent in 2014.

"The percentage of projects, out of the total number of applications received, which got environmental clearance from the Ministry during the last two years are 53.86 per cent in 2014 and 90.70 per cent in 2015.

"Average percentage of such projects for the period from 2009 to 2014 was 87.79 per cent," Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

He said the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 governs the process of grant of prior environmental clearance for activities mentioned in the schedule of the notification.

The process of environmental clearance includes screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal among others, he said.

"The statutory provisions laid down for carrying out the process of grant of prior environmental clearance ensures that ecological security is not compromised," the minister said.

Replying to another question, Dave said that his Ministry has notified draft rules for Ambient Air Quality Standards with respect to noise in Airport Noise Zone In October this year.

"As per the draft rule, the noise standard proposed for existing busy airport is 70 decibels during the day time and 65 decibels during night time whereas in respect of other existing airports and upcoming new airports, the proposed limit is 65 dB during day time and 60 dB during night time. The draft rules also provide for tolerance limit of 10 dB," the minister said.