Construction in areas between 20,000-50,000 square metres will not require environment clearance from the government anymore, the Centre has said in its modified notification on the environment impact assessment (EIA).
The notification, recently issued by the Ministry of Environment, states that it has decided to "re-engineer" EIA rules based on amendments and the experience over the years in its implementation.
"As the principal notification has undergone substantial changes over the years, the Ministry has decided to re-engineer the entire notification in line with the amendments issued...and circulars issued from time to time and experience gained over the years in implementation of the EIA notification," it said.
Under the new notification, the process of clearances granted for sand mining and construction activities have been eased out, a decision that has not gone down well with environmental activists who claim that the EIA notification compromises public hearings.
The draft allows district-level authorities, headed by the district magistrate, to seek exemption from public hearing while granting green clearance for sand mining in areas up to five hectares of land.
Lawyer and environmentalist Vikrant Tongad said that through the notification, the government was trying to give benefit to builders and mining companies which in turn was weakening the EIA.
"Under the modified EIA, building and construction in areas between 20,000 square metres and 50,000 sq metres do not require environmental clearance, which has been taking place all this while. In the sand mining sector, no public hearing will now take place for mining in an area of 0-5 hectare. It is a wrong move and public hearing must take place," Tongad said.
He said, the government "is trying to give benefit to builders, mining companies and industries by weakening the EIA notification of 2006, which will increase pollution and corruption in India."