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Context:
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has officially withdrawn the star-rating system introduced in January 2022 to evaluate State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs). This was disclosed to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) during ongoing legal proceedings.
Star-Rating System
- Introduced: January 17, 2022
- Objective: To incentivize state bodies for quick and efficient environmental clearances for industrial and infrastructure projects
- Basis: Proposed in line with a November 2021 meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba under the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ initiative
- Rating Scale: 0 to 7 stars, based on:
- Number of days taken to approve projects
- Adherence to EIA timelines
- Efficiency during pre-approval stages
Legal Challenge and NGT Order
- Petitioner: Meenava Thantai, a Tamil Nadu-based fishermen’s association
- Legal Counsel: Ritwick Dutta and Stanly Hebzon Singh
- Grounds: Alleged that the system was arbitrary and diluted project scrutiny under the 2006 EIA Notification
- NGT Bench: Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati
- Outcome:
- MoEF&CC declared the 2022 memorandum inoperative
- NGT deemed the case infructuous due to the ministry’s withdrawal
Significance of the Decision
- The withdrawal marks a policy reversal, acknowledging concerns that the rating system prioritized speed over environmental safeguards
- Ensures better scrutiny of Category-B projects appraised at the state level under the EIA 2006 framework
- Reflects growing judicial and civil society oversight on environmentally sensitive policies
State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs)
State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs) are regulatory bodies formed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to implement the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification at the state level, granting environmental clearances for projects under Category B.
- Purpose
- SEIAAs are established to assess the potential environmental impacts of projects and grant environmental clearances for projects falling under Category B, which are smaller units in terms of production with or without specified minimum threshold of production but below that specified for Category A.
Future Outlook
- The ministry may develop a new evaluation framework later, with revised criteria
- It remains to be seen how the government balances economic growth with ecological responsibility
