Environmental clearance and sustainable development: changing paradigm of environmental constitutionalism in India
Abstract
Environmental Clearance (EC) to operate in any industry or establishment is firmly accepted across the globe. It is issued after complying with four stages of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) namely screening, scoping, public hearing and appraisal. It stipulates the precautionary conditions to operate (CTO) an industry without causing environmental hazards deploying all necessary environmental protection measures. The MoEF&CC issues EC in India, directly or through its regional authorities. In recent decisions, the Supreme Court of India has allowed post-EC to some of the MSMEs that were operating without EC on account of ignorance of the law on the part of the owner as well as the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). The post-EC has been permitted to remove procedural irregularity by applying the ‘proportionality principle’ on account of MSME’s contribution to the national economy and livelihood to a significant size of the populace. This research paper finds post-EC anathema to the sustainable development principles.
Keywords:
Environmental Clearance, Environmental Impact Assessment, Conditions to Operate, sustainable development, Precautionary Principle, Polluter Pays Principle, Absolute Liability, Public Trust Doctrine, Proportionality Principle
References
1. Álvaro Enríquez‐de‐Salamanca and Rubén Díaz‐Sierra, ‘Impact Assessment of Temporary Activities and Events’ (2023) 19 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 1320
2. Annika Reynolds, ‘Conservation after the Fact: The Prevalence of Post-Approval Condition-Setting in Environmental Impact Assessment Processes in Australia and Its Implications for Achieving Ecologically Sustainable Development Outcomes’ (2023) 99 Environmental Impact Assessment Review 107032
3. Ariane Dilay, Alan P Diduck and Kirit Patel, ‘Environmental Justice in India: A Case Study of Environmental Impact Assessment, Community Engagement and Public Interest Litigation’ (2020) 38 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 16
4. BD Clarke and Cong C Vu, ‘EIA Effectiveness in Vietnam: Key Stakeholder Perceptions’ (2021) 7 Heliyon e06157
5. C. Roos and others, ‘Regulators’ Perceptions of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Benefits in a Sustainable Development Context’ (2020) 81 Environmental Impact Assessment Review 106360
6. David Sifonios, Environmental Process and Production Methods (PPMs) in WTO Law, vol 3 (Springer International Publishing 2018)
7. Devarshi Tathagat and Dr Ramesh D Dod, ‘The Inception and Evolution of EIA and Environmental Clearance Process – Laying Emphasis on Sustainable Development and Construction’ (2015) 5 International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications 22.
8. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Science-Based Lawmaking: How to Effectively Integrate Science in International Environmental Law (Springer International Publishing 2019)
9. Emilia Ravn Boess and others, ‘Using Sustainable Development Goals to Develop EIA Scoping Practices: The Case of Denmark’ (2021) 39 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 463
10. Felix Ekardt, Sustainability: Transformation, Governance, Ethics, Law (Springer International Publishing 2020);
11. Justice Mensah, ‘Sustainable Development: Meaning, History, Principles, Pillars, and Implications for Human Action: Literature Review’ (2019) 5 Cogent Social Sciences 1653531
12. K.F. Kuh, ‘The Law of Climate Change Mitigation: An Overview’, Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene (Elsevier 2018);
13. Laraib Ehtasham and others, ‘A Review of the Status of Environmental Impact Assessment in Pakistan’ (2022) 18 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 314
14. Mahabaleshwar Hegde, Kirit Patel and Alan P Diduck, ‘Environmental Clearance Conditions in Impact Assessment in India: Moving beyond Greenwash’ (2022) 40 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 214
15. Marcos Orellana, ‘Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals: The Increasing Relevance of Access Rights in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration’ (2016) 25 Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law 50
16. Michael R Anderson, ‘International Environmental Law in Indian Courts’ (1998) 7 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 21
17. Naveen Thayyil, ‘Public Participation in Environmental Clearances in India: Prospects for Democratic Decision-Making’ (2014) 56 Journal of the Indian Law Institute 463.
18. Rafael Leal-Arcas, Solutions for Sustainability: How the International Trade, Energy and Climate Change Regimes Can Help (Springer International Publishing 2019)
19. Saman Narayan Upadhyay, ‘Global Legal Norms on Environment and Sustainable Development in the 21st Century’, Advances in sustainable development and management of environmental and natural resources, vol 2 (First edition, Apple Academic Press 2022);
20. Shalini Iyengar, Nives Dolšak and Aseem Prakash, ‘Selectively Assertive: Interventions of India’s Supreme Court to Enforce Environmental Laws’ (2019) 11 Sustainability 7234
21. Taiwo Odumosu, ‘Public Participation and Constitutional Impediments to Sustainable Development in Nigeria’, Legal Aspects of Sustainable Development (Springer International Publishing 2016)
22. Telesphore Kabera and Grace Mutavu, ‘Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessment in East Africa: The Case of Rwanda’ (2023) 32 Environmental Quality Management 83
23. Zdeněk Keken and others, ‘Environmental Impact Assessment – The Range of Activities Covered and the Potential of Linking to Post-Project Auditing’ (2022) 93 Environmental Impact Assessment Review 106726
Legislations
1. EIA Notification 1996
2. The Environmental (Protection) Act,1986
Reports
1. United Nations (2024)
2. UN, ‘United Nations Conference on Human Environment, 1972’ United Nations, New York
3. UN Secretary General, ‘Report of World Commission on Environment and Development’ (1987) United Nations Digital Library
4. UN. Conferences, ‘Environment and Sustainable Development’ (2024)
5. UN, ‘Rio Declaration on Environment and Development’ (1992)
6. UN, ‘Agenda 21’ (1992)
7. UN, ‘The Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and SD of all types of Forests’ (1992)
8. UN, ‘United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity’ (1992)
9. UN, ‘United Nations Convention on Climate Change’ (1992)
10. UN, ‘Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ (1997) (entered into force on 16 February 2005);
11. UNDP, ‘Stockholm+50: A Global Synthesis Report of National Consultations: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all- our responsibility, our opportunity’ (2022)
12. Center for Science and Environment, ‘Understanding EIA’ (2023)
Cases
1. Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Rohit Prajapati, 2020 SCC Online SC 347
2. Charan Lal Sahu v. Union of India, AIR 1990 SC 1480
3. Electrosteel Steels Limited v. Union of India, Civil Appeal No. 7576-7577/ 2021 decided on 9 December 2021.
4. In Reference re Impact Assessment Act, 2023 SCC 23 (Supreme Court of Canada) Accessed from < https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/20102/1/document.do>
5. Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v Union of India, AIR 1996 SC 1446
6. Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Limited v. Union of India, (2011) 7 SCC 338
7. M. C. Mehta v Union of India, AIR 1988 SC 1037 (Kanpur Tanneries Case)
8. M. C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath, (1997) 1 SCC 388
9. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, AIR 1987 SC 1099 (Oleum Gas Leak case)
10. M/S Pahwa Plastics Pvt. Ltd. V. Dastak NGO, Civil Appeal No. 4795/ 2021 decided on 25 March 2022.
11. Pahwa Plastics Pvt. Ltd. V. Dastak NGO, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 362
12. Rural Litigation Entitlement Kendra, Dehradun v. State of U.P., AIR 1985 SC 652 (Dehradun Quarrying case)
13. Union Carbide Corporation v. Union of India, AIR 1992 SC 248
14. Vellore Citizen Welfare Association v. Union of India, AIR 1996 SC 2715
2. Annika Reynolds, ‘Conservation after the Fact: The Prevalence of Post-Approval Condition-Setting in Environmental Impact Assessment Processes in Australia and Its Implications for Achieving Ecologically Sustainable Development Outcomes’ (2023) 99 Environmental Impact Assessment Review 107032
3. Ariane Dilay, Alan P Diduck and Kirit Patel, ‘Environmental Justice in India: A Case Study of Environmental Impact Assessment, Community Engagement and Public Interest Litigation’ (2020) 38 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 16
4. BD Clarke and Cong C Vu, ‘EIA Effectiveness in Vietnam: Key Stakeholder Perceptions’ (2021) 7 Heliyon e06157
5. C. Roos and others, ‘Regulators’ Perceptions of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Benefits in a Sustainable Development Context’ (2020) 81 Environmental Impact Assessment Review 106360
6. David Sifonios, Environmental Process and Production Methods (PPMs) in WTO Law, vol 3 (Springer International Publishing 2018)
7. Devarshi Tathagat and Dr Ramesh D Dod, ‘The Inception and Evolution of EIA and Environmental Clearance Process – Laying Emphasis on Sustainable Development and Construction’ (2015) 5 International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications 22
8. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Science-Based Lawmaking: How to Effectively Integrate Science in International Environmental Law (Springer International Publishing 2019)
9. Emilia Ravn Boess and others, ‘Using Sustainable Development Goals to Develop EIA Scoping Practices: The Case of Denmark’ (2021) 39 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 463
10. Felix Ekardt, Sustainability: Transformation, Governance, Ethics, Law (Springer International Publishing 2020)
11. Justice Mensah, ‘Sustainable Development: Meaning, History, Principles, Pillars, and Implications for Human Action: Literature Review’ (2019) 5 Cogent Social Sciences 1653531
12. K.F. Kuh, ‘The Law of Climate Change Mitigation: An Overview’, Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene (Elsevier 2018)
13. Laraib Ehtasham and others, ‘A Review of the Status of Environmental Impact Assessment in Pakistan’ (2022) 18 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 314
14. Mahabaleshwar Hegde, Kirit Patel and Alan P Diduck, ‘Environmental Clearance Conditions in Impact Assessment in India: Moving beyond Greenwash’ (2022) 40 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 214
15. Marcos Orellana, ‘Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals: The Increasing Relevance of Access Rights in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration’ (2016) 25 Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law 50
16. Michael R Anderson, ‘International Environmental Law in Indian Courts’ (1998) 7 Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 21
17. Naveen Thayyil, ‘Public Participation in Environmental Clearances in India: Prospects for Democratic Decision-Making’ (2014) 56 Journal of the Indian Law Institute 463
18. Rafael Leal-Arcas, Solutions for Sustainability: How the International Trade, Energy and Climate Change Regimes Can Help (Springer International Publishing 2019)
19. Saman Narayan Upadhyay, ‘Global Legal Norms on Environment and Sustainable Development in the 21st Century’, Advances in sustainable development and management of environmental and natural resources, vol 2 (First edition, Apple Academic Press 2022);
20. Shalini Iyengar, Nives Dolšak and Aseem Prakash, ‘Selectively Assertive: Interventions of India’s Supreme Court to Enforce Environmental Laws’ (2019) 11 Sustainability 7234
21. Taiwo Odumosu, ‘Public Participation and Constitutional Impediments to Sustainable Development in Nigeria’, Legal Aspects of Sustainable Development (Springer International Publishing 2016)
22. Telesphore Kabera and Grace Mutavu, ‘Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessment in East Africa: The Case of Rwanda’ (2023) 32 Environmental Quality Management 83
23. Zdeněk Keken and others, ‘Environmental Impact Assessment – The Range of Activities Covered and the Potential of Linking to Post-Project Auditing’ (2022) 93 Environmental Impact Assessment Review 106726
Legislations
1. EIA Notification 1996
2. The Environmental (Protection) Act,1986
Reports
1. United Nations (2024)
2. UN, ‘United Nations Conference on Human Environment, 1972’ United Nations, New York
3. UN Secretary General, ‘Report of World Commission on Environment and Development’ (1987) United Nations Digital Library
4. UN. Conferences, ‘Environment and Sustainable Development’ (2024)
5. UN, ‘Rio Declaration on Environment and Development’ (1992)
6. UN, ‘Agenda 21’ (1992)
7. UN, ‘The Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and SD of all types of Forests’ (1992)
8. UN, ‘United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity’ (1992)
9. UN, ‘United Nations Convention on Climate Change’ (1992)
10. UN, ‘Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’ (1997) (entered into force on 16 February 2005);
11. UNDP, ‘Stockholm+50: A Global Synthesis Report of National Consultations: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all- our responsibility, our opportunity’ (2022)
12. Center for Science and Environment, ‘Understanding EIA’ (2023)
Cases
1. Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Rohit Prajapati, 2020 SCC Online SC 347
2. Charan Lal Sahu v. Union of India, AIR 1990 SC 1480
3. Electrosteel Steels Limited v. Union of India, Civil Appeal No. 7576-7577/ 2021 decided on 9 December 2021.
4. In Reference re Impact Assessment Act, 2023 SCC 23 (Supreme Court of Canada) Accessed from < https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/20102/1/document.do>
5. Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v Union of India, AIR 1996 SC 1446
6. Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Limited v. Union of India, (2011) 7 SCC 338
7. M. C. Mehta v Union of India, AIR 1988 SC 1037 (Kanpur Tanneries Case)
8. M. C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath, (1997) 1 SCC 388
9. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, AIR 1987 SC 1099 (Oleum Gas Leak case)
10. M/S Pahwa Plastics Pvt. Ltd. V. Dastak NGO, Civil Appeal No. 4795/ 2021 decided on 25 March 2022.
11. Pahwa Plastics Pvt. Ltd. V. Dastak NGO, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 362
12. Rural Litigation Entitlement Kendra, Dehradun v. State of U.P., AIR 1985 SC 652 (Dehradun Quarrying case)
13. Union Carbide Corporation v. Union of India, AIR 1992 SC 248
14. Vellore Citizen Welfare Association v. Union of India, AIR 1996 SC 2715
Published
09/02/2024
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How to Cite
Upadhyay, S. N., & Singh, M. (2024). Environmental clearance and sustainable development: changing paradigm of environmental constitutionalism in India. The Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 4(1), 8-18. https://doi.org/10.37022/tjmdr.v4i1.560
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Research Articles
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