The ministry of environment, forests and climate change(MoEFCC) has decentralised rules for environmental clearing of buildings, making it easier for buiders and buyers.
Under the new rules, constructions that are between 20,000 square metre and 1.5 lakh square metre can get environment clearance from the local municipal body, which is, anyway, authorised to inspect the structure for compliance. At present, the state level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority is charged with giving the clearance.
For buildings from 1.5 lakh sq m to 3 lakh sq m, the state authorities will do the Environmental Impact Assessment while for constructions above 3 lakh sq m, the Centre will assess.
The ministry has also introduced a self-declaration system for areas between 5,000 and 20,000 sq m, and they will have to follow environmental norms (like rain water harvesting, sewage and waste water segregation, green area maintenance etc). Constructions less than 5,000 sq m are so far exempt from environmental clearance.
The ministry has also, for the first time, envisaged that qualified building environmental auditors be empanelled by the ministry to assess and certify projects.
IT has also made it mandatory for local authorities to constitute an environmental cell which will not just give clearance at construction stage, but also monitor continuous compliance after the building is commissioned.
"This is part of our effort at enhancing the Ease of Doing Responsible Business," said MoEFFCC minister of state Anil Dave.
