While environmental and forest clearance were given to 166 and 143 power projects respectively during the last three years, the same were rejected in two and three cases.
Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan has informed Parliament that the Ministry has taken a number of steps to ensure timely decisions on the applications for environmental clearances by constituting sector specific Expert Appraisal Committees (EACs) for appraisal of thermal, hydro and nuclear power projects.
The main reasons for pendency are delay in submission of Environmental Impact Assessment report and Environment Management Plan including public hearing report, deficiency in the EIA/EMP reports inadequate data, non-submission of complete information by the project proponents, the minister said.