The Central Government on 11th April, 2022 has issued draft amendment to EIA Notification 2006 to revise requirement of prior Environmental Clearance (EC) for airport projects. The Highway projects related to defence and strategic importance in border States are sensitive in nature and in many cases need to be executed on priority keeping in view strategic, defence and security considerations. In this regard, the Ministry sees to exempt such projects from the requirement of EC in the border areas subject to prescribing Standard Operating Procedure along with standard environmental safeguards for such projects for self-compliance by the Agency executing such projects.
Thus it is clarified that Only expansion of terminal buildings >20,000 for airports shall require Environmental Clearance.
The notification shall be taken into consideration on or after the expiry of a period of sixty days and any objections or suggestions on the proposal contained in the draft Notification may send it at e-mail address at sujit.baju@gov.in and diriapolicymoefcc@gov.in on or before 60 days.
