Over 90% projects got green nod in 2015

NEW DELHI: Ninety percent of projects got environmental clearance in the country last year as compared to nearly 54% in 2014. Informing this in the Rajya Sabha, environment minister Anil Madha Dave in a written response to a Parliament question said, “Average percentage of such projects for the period from 2009 to 2014 was 87.79%”.

He noted that 53.86% of the projects had got clearance in 2014 while 90.70% of the projects got the green nod in 2015. Responding to a question about impact of speedy clearances of development projects on ecology, the minister said, “The statutory provisions laid down for carrying out the process of grant of prior environmental clearance ensures that ecological security is not compromised”.

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”.