Central Government has published a draft notification proposing amendments to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 (S.O. 1533(E), dated September 14, 2006). The draft has been published under Rule 5(3) of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, for public information. Objections or suggestions may be submitted in writing to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road, Aliganj, New Delhi – 110003, or by email at diriapolicy-moefcc@gov.in, within sixty days from the date of Gazette availability.

The proposed amendment pertains to Item 1(a) of the Schedule to the EIA Notification, 2006. The delegation threshold for non-coal mining projects assigned to State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs) is proposed to be raised from 250 hectares to 500 hectares. Specifically, in Column (3) of Item 1(a), the entry “>250 ha” is proposed to be substituted with “>500 ha”; and in Column (4), the entry “≤250 ha” is proposed to be substituted with “≤500 ha”. Non-coal mining projects with lease areas up to 500 hectares are proposed to fall within the appraisal jurisdiction of SEIAAs/SEACs upon finalisation of the amendment.

In the said notification, in the Schedule –

Against item 1(a), –

a. in column (3), –

for “>250 ha”, the following shall be substituted, namely “>500 ha”;

b. in column (4), –

for “≤ 250 ha”, the following shall be substituted, namely “≤ 500 ha”