PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Environmental clearances in protected areas

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change explained that under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 (issued pursuant to the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986), infrastructure projects intersecting Tiger Reserves or other Protected Areas are examined through a two‑stage process. First, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) or State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) assesses environmental clearance, and second, wildlife clearance is sought under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, involving the State Chief Wildlife Warden, State Board for Wildlife and the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL). The Ministry’s PARIVESH portal hosts a GIS‑enabled Decision Support System that analyses proximity to Protected Areas, Eco‑Sensitive Zones, forests, wetlands and coastal zones. During FY 2024‑25 and 2025‑26, 20 infrastructure projects located wholly or partly in Protected Areas or ESZs received environmental clearance after incorporating project‑specific safeguards such as habitat conservation and pollution control. No construction may commence without the requisite wildlife clearance.