The environmental approval for the small projects categorised as grade’B’ will be delayed in the state as the Orissa government is yet to issue a notification for making the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) functional.
Though SEIAA was notified by the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) in November 2008, the state government is required to notify the agency to act as secretariat for the SEIAA and the State Environmental Appraisal Committee (SEAC). However, the required notification is yet to be issued, sources said.
Further complicating the issue, the MoEF has sent back grade ‘B’ proposals to the state government.Initially 20 proposals were sent back by the Union ministry and the number is likely to increase in the coming days, sources said.
The proposals for environmental approval which were returned include Bagiapuru iron ore mines, Kirikita graphite mines, Termirimal graphite mines, Gandabahali graphite mines, Sidhamatha iron and manganese mines, Katasahi manganese mines, Iron and manganese mines of Budharaja iron and manganese mines, Bhutuda manganese mines of AXL Corporation.
Besides, the environmental approval proposal of Nuagaon iron and manganese mines, Banrai Dolomite mines, chrome ore beneficiation plant of SS Metals and Scraps has been sent to the state. Unless SEIAA is made functional soon, scrutiny of the proposals is likely to be delayed, sources added.
It may be noted, in almost all the 22 states of the country, the SEIAA and SEAC are functioning in the state secretariat and the premises of the state pollution control board. Such an arrangement can be made for the quick functioning of these two bodies. Sources said, the state government is searching for accommodation outside the state secretariat to house these two agencies and for this reason, the notification is being delayed. Meanwhile, the secretary, forest and environment department, has submitted a proposal to the state government to make the SEIAA functional in the state secretariat and SEAC in the premises of the Orissa Pollution Control Board (OPCB).
“We are committed to make the SEIAA and SEAC functional and required steps are being taken by the government in this regard”, Bhagirathi Behera, director, environment, told Business Standard.
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The projects which will require the approval of the SEIAA include small river valley projects, thermal power plants, coal washeries, sponge iron plants, petro-chemical complex, pulp and paper industry, sugar industry, export processing zones, bio-tech parks, port, harbour, building and construction projects and township and area development projects.
Mining and mineral projects, having 5 to 50 mining lease area, hydro electric power generating units from 25 to 50 Mw, river valley projects having less than 10,000 hectares of irrigated area, thermal power (coal, lignite, naptha and gas based) projects having generating capacity less than 500 Mw and coal washeries with less than 1 million tonne per annum installed capacity, will require the approval of the SEIAA.
Similarly, mineral beneficiation units with capacity of 1 million tonne per annum, sponge iron manufacturing units producing less than 200 tonne per day, cement plants with capacity of 1 million tonne per annum, coke oven plants having capacity between 25,000 to 2,50,000 tonnes, chloro-alkalic units having capacity of 300 tonne per day, all the new and expansion projects in the leather skin and hide processing sector, petro-chemical complex located in notified industrial areas, need approval from this body.