Environment ministry gets EC nod on green clearances

The Union environment ministry has secured the Election Commission's approval to provide environmental clearances to industries. However, the ambiguous wording of the Commission's reply has left doubt in the ministry about how to proceed on the matter.

A source in the ministry said, "We have got a reply from the Election Commission that we should follow existing regulations in dealing with the matter." Environment Minister Veerappa Moily is yet to take a decision on whether to treat that as a clear signal to go ahead.

Another ministry source said the clearance process had been put on hold earlier, too - when the code of conduct for the 2004 and 2009 elections were in place. During the 2009 general elections, the Election Commission hadn't replied to the ministry, when requested for the permission to award clearances.

The ministry provides two key statutory clearances for projects. Under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, an environmental clearance is mandatory, while a forest clearance is required under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, for projects seeking use of forestland.

Statutory bodies of the ministry appraise projects and the ministry gives the final approval. Several dozen projects have been held up after appraisals and the final letters of approval have been kept in abeyance since the Election Commission's code of conduct came into place.

Fresh meetings of the appraisal bodies are slated for this month.

A third nod, a clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and Supreme Court orders, is required for projects located in or close to legally protected wildlife areas such as national parks and sanctuaries. This clearance is accorded by the standing committee of the National Board of Wildlife, headed by the prime minister. Despite the Election Commission's latest reply, the ministry will be unable to clear 100-odd projects requiring wildlife clearances, as the board has not been reconstituted for months. A late move in this regard was thwarted, with the Election Commission asking the United Progressive Alliance government not to nominate the board during the elections, adding this should be left to the next government.

A few critical appointments are also pending decisions with the ministry, for which it is yet to seek clearance from the Election Commission. Interviews have been held for the post of chairman of the Chennai-based National Biodiversity Authority; Environment Secretary V Rajagopalan, set to retire in August, is one of the applicants. The previous full-time chairman of the board had resigned in January, under controversial circumstances. Another key post for which interviews have been held is chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board.

The body has been headless for months.