Centre reconstitutes Delhi's state level environment impact assessment authority

New Delhi: The Centre has reconstituted State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), paving way for a "robust and transparent" system for granting environmental clearance to big projects in Delhi, the city government said on Wednesday.

The three-member SEIAA and the 13-member SEAC have been reconstituted for a three-year term. Sarvagya Kumar Srivastava has been appointed the Chairman of SEIAA. The Delhi government's Special Secretary (Environment) will be its member secretary.

"Category 'B' projects requiring environmental clearance will not have to wait for the central government's approval. Approval will now be given in a fast-tracked manner by the Delhi government

itself," a statement quoted Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai as saying. "As much as fast tracking will be a sought-after solution, we will also make the system more robust and transparent. Environment protection

is one of the prime responsibilities of the Delhi government and we will not compromise on it," he said.

The city government had sent a proposal for reconstitution of SEIAA and SEAC, along with the names of experts, to the central government last year. According to the Environment Protection Rules, all category 'A' projects (mega projects) are approved by an Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Environment Ministry, while all category 'B' projects (large projects) are approved by SEIAA. The authority will meet monthly, leading to faster decision making and lower pendency of cases, the Delhi government said. The SEIAA is bound to take decisions on the recommendations of the SEAC.