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Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2019
Why in news
- The proposed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2019, makes the District Magistrate (DM) the chairperson of an expert authority, or the District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA).
- DEIAA is mandated with according environment clearance for “minor” mining projects.
More in news
- About EIA 2019
- The EIA 2019 aims to be an update of the EIA 2006 which accommodates many of NGT awards.
- The notification prescribes that the environmental clearance for infrastructure projects that have the potential to significantly alter or impact forests, river basins or other ecologically sensitive regions seek permission from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and experts appointed by it.
- Appraisal of the project is done by an expert committees constituted by the MoEF, those below a certain size are appraised by State-level authorities called the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
- In 2016, the Ministry further delegated the authority to grant clearances for up to five hectares of individual mining lease of minor minerals and 25 hectares in clusters, to the DEIAA.
- What is the issue raised.
- District Magistrate (DM) in the State is also the ‘District Mining officer’ who is tasked with executing mining licence deeds. These officers usually had a “target” to collect revenues from mining activities.
- Making the DM the chairman (of the DEIAA) would be self-serving for grant of environmental clearance.
- DM doesn’t have technical expertise in matters of environment and ecology.
Source
The Hindu