Panel flags 2-3 year coal mine clearance delays; seeks faster approvals

A parliamentary standing committee has flagged delays of up to nearly three years in environmental and forest clearances for coal mining projects

A parliamentary standing committee has flagged prolonged delays of up to nearly three years in obtaining environment and forest clearances for coal mining projects and has asked the government to cut approval timelines to speed up domestic coal production and reduce import dependence.

 

What clearance timelines did the panel cite for public and private projects?

 

In a report tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel said environment clearances take an average of 15 to 18 months for central public sector undertakings (CPSUs) and around 26 months for private commercial coal blocks. Forest clearances take 24 to 30 months for CPSUs and up to 34 months for private sector projects, it said.

 

Why are forest clearances being delayed, and what did the panel suggest?

 

The committee identified Gram Sabha approvals under the Forest Rights Act as a major cause of forest clearance delays and recommended developing standardised protocols and digital templates for Gram Sabha certification across coal-bearing states.

 

What steps did it seek to narrow gaps and improve coordination?

 

It has sought an explanation from the government for the wide gap in clearance timelines between public and private projects and recommended steps to reduce approval time across both sectors. It also called for better coordination among project proponents, state authorities and the environment ministry to expedite approvals.

 

What did the panel find about state-level appraisals for smaller projects?

 

Highlighting bottlenecks in smaller projects, the panel noted that since April 2022, only 12 environmental clearances have been granted to coal mining projects with lease areas below 500 hectares, which are appraised at the state level. It has asked the ministry to furnish details on the number of applications received, rejected and the reasons for rejection.

 

What changes did the committee suggest for the Forest Advisory Committee process?

 

On forest clearances, the committee recommended increasing the frequency of meetings of the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), which currently meets once a month, to speed up decision-making. It said that while the multi-layered appraisal process is necessary, it often contributes to delays in project execution.

 

Why did the panel flag compensatory afforestation costs?

 

The committee also flagged sharp variations in compensatory afforestation costs, which range from Rs 9 lakh to Rs 22 lakh per hectare across states. It has asked the ministry to explain the reasons for this disparity.