Hello friends, whenever a big building or project is built, it is necessary to assess its impact on the environment. But recently the Central Government issued a notification exempting many types of buildings from this process. Now this decision has been made by the Supreme Court. Let us know what this matter is and what will be its effect.
What is the matter?
The Central Government issued a notification on 29 January 2025 exempting industrial sheds, schools, colleges, hostels and other buildings up to 150,000 square meters from Environmental Clearance. Earlier, any construction project larger than 20,000 square meters was required to take this approval.
This notification was considered to weaken environmental protection laws, due to which many organizations opposed it. The NGO ‘Vanashakti’ challenged this decision in the Supreme Court and argued that this exemption could pose a threat to the environment of the country.
Supreme Court decision
Supreme Court Justice Abhay S. The bench of Justice Oka and Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan stayed this notification and sought a reply from the central government by March 28, 2025. The court clearly said in the order that the notification and the related office memorandum are suspended with immediate effect.
There could have been major damage to the environment
The petition said that the central government had already made such efforts in 2014, 2016 and 2018, but they were quashed by the courts. The NGO argued that this exemption would affect those projects that come near sensitive wildlife areas, polluted areas and interstate borders. There was a danger of excessive pollution and deterioration of ecological balance due to construction without environmental assessment.
What does environmental law and order say?
Under Rule 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the government must give solid reasons for any change, but this was not done in this notification. The Supreme Court also showed seriousness on this issue and issued a notice to the central government and sought a reply.
What will happen next?
Now the matter will be heard again in the court on 28 March 2025. If the government fails to justify its notification, it may be permanently cancelled. At the same time, environmentalists and social organizations believe that environmental clearance should be necessary for large construction projects so that pollution and ecological imbalance can be avoided in future. This decision of the Supreme Court is considered a big step in favour of environmental protection. The government will have to take care of environmental balance along with development. Now it remains to be seen what answer the central government gives in the court and what decision comes on it further.
Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes. The information given in it is based on various news sources and legal decisions. Readers are requested to give priority to official documents and expert opinions.
Also Read:
Supreme Court Slams Overpriced Lawyers: Justice Must Be Accessible to All
