The government has delegated powers to local bodies to ensure compliance of environmental conditions for buildings, construction and area development projects between 20,000 and 50,000 square metres (sqmt).
According to a notification of the Union Environment Ministry, local bodies have also been given the powers to ensure environmental conditions are followed at industrial sheds, educational institutions, hospitals and hostels for educational institutions from 20,000 sqmt to 1,50,000 sqmt.
CREDAI, apex body of Private Real Estate Developers Associations, welcomed the decision, saying, "The move will expedite the implementation of Housing for All by 2022."
"The Central Government hereby delegates the power to local bodies such as municipalities, development authorities, district panchayats as the case may be, to ensure the compliance of the environmental conditions... of building or construction projects with built-up area >20,000 sqmt to 50,000 sqmt and industrial sheds, educational institutions, hospitals and hostels for educational institutions = 20,000 sqmt upto 1,50,000 sqmt (sic)," said an environment ministry notification.
The environmental conditions include natural drainage, water conservation, rain water harvesting, water recharge, waste management, green cover, top soil preservation, among others.
Meanwhile, CREDAI said it welcomes the move to delegate the decision making power to the urban local bodies to ensure environmental compliance for building or construction projects with built up area above 20,000 sqmt to 50,000 sqmt.
"This is a positive step towards enhancing Ease of Doing Business' in the Indian Real Estate sector, leading to better implementation of environmental laws. The resultant reduction in time consumed in procuring approvals as well as reduction of costs will also give a boost to the entire housing sector, especially the Affordable Housing segment, expediting our Prime Minister's dream of Housing for All' by 2022," said Jaxay Shah, President, CREDAI National.
It said CREDAI and its developers have always adhered to environmental laws and procedures and are particularly happy to note that there is no dilution in the same by the implementation of these guidelines.
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