New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) The environment ministry has extended the validity period of environmental clearances (ECs) granted for ports, harbours, breakwaters, and dredging projects from the existing 10 years to 20 years, with provisions for two further extensions of up to five years each.
The development comes four months after the ministry in May issued a draft notification, proposing to increase the validity of ECs for such projects to 15 years, with an option for a further five-year extension.
However, after consultation with stakeholders, it was decided to increase the EC validity to 20 years.
In a notification about the changes issued on Monday, the ministry said that the decision was made due to long gestation periods and phased development characteristics of port and harbour projects.
The move has drawn sharp reaction from the Congress.
In a post on X on Tuesday, senior Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh said the latest amendment was “done for the proposed transshipment port in Great Nicobar which will, in all probability, be a Modani enterprise”.
The transshipment port in Great Nicobar is part of the upcoming infrastructure initiative called the Great Nicobar Islands (GNI) project, which will be spread over 166 square kms, and will also comprise the construction of an integrated township, a civil and a greenfield military airport, and a 450-MVA gas and solar power-based plant.
According to the notification, the Sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee was of the view that the validity period of environmental clearances granted to ports and harbours need to be “rationalised as the existing ten plus one years validity appears to be insufficient”.
The extension of validity of EC of ports, harbours, breakwaters, and dredging projects has been done by amending the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006.
According to the latest change, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) or state-level EAC will examine a project’s existing environmental safeguards and may recommend additional measures in the Environmental Management Plan in case the project concerned seeks a validity extension for another five years, beyond 20 years.
Moreover, “in deserving cases, where the project has been unable to be operationalised within this extended period, the Expert Appraisal Committee or state- level Expert Appraisal Committee may examine the project and recommend the extension of Environmental Clearances for a further period of five years, if deemed appropriate”, according to the notification. PTI ALC KVK
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