Environment ministry eases rules for construction companies

Environment ministry eases rules for construction companies

The government has eased environmental clearances for buildings and construction sector, with the environment ministry more than doubling the threshold for construction projects requiring environmental clearances from the Centre to 50,000 square metres of built-up area from 20,000 sq metres. 

As a result, developers of an average sized mall with three floors or an apartment complex with 300 three-bedroom flats would be able to start construction with online submission of a self-certification that all environmental obligations would be met. 

The onus has therefore shifted to urban local bodies in the cities. A developer would fill a form online to the local authority and then a building permit would be issued for construction. 

So far, this was followed by all projects with less than 20,000 sq metres of built-up area. Now, the ministry of environment, forests and climate change has issued a draft notification amending its earlier notification that required projects with built-up area above 20,000 sq metres to take environmental clearances by applying separately to environmental impact assessment committees formed at the state level. The limit has been increased to 50,000 sq metres. 

Environmentalists, however, said that cities are not ready with expertise or the required changes in building by-laws. “In principle it is a good move as it eases the clearances. But on the ground it could mean dubious projects getting a go-ahead as the cities have not included environmental guidelines in their building permit system,” said Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Sustainable Cities Programme at the Centre for Science and Environment. “This requires a change in building bye-laws which no city has brought about in India. 

So while the Centre would shift its responsibility to the cities, the cities have no system to take over the responsibility,” he said. Weaving environmental guidelines in building by-laws requires a proper amendment to include energy efficiency norms, waste recycling and management system, energy efficiency norms and waste water management guidelines in the building permit system. At present, the building permit system includes only fire and life safety and no environmental guidelines. 

Andhra Pradesh is the only state that has initiated work to include environmental guidelines in building by-laws so that every construction project meets environmental standards. The amendments have not been notified yet. “Even if the states take up inclusion of guidelines in building by-laws, the changes really need to be initiated by the cities at urban local body level. This would take two years or more,” said Somvanshi. 

The Economics Times, New Delhi, 22nd March 2018