Delhi HC stays Center's notification on environmental clearances

Centre had exempted builders from taking environment impact assessment clearance for small projects

The Delhi High Court has stayed a notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change which exempted real estate projects with built-up area of up to 50,000 square metre from getting mandatory environmental clearance from the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority.

The court has also stayed another notification which gave local authorities such as district Panchayats the power to grant environmental clearance for construction projects which have a built-up area between 20,000-50,000 square metre. Industrial sheds, educational institutes and hospitals with built-up area of up to 1,50,000 square metre were also exempted from taking environmental clearance for