New Delhi, March 9 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought reply from the Centre in connection with the appointment of an environmental regulator for green clearances, despite the directions issued by it in 2011.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted that all environmental clearances have become farce in the absence of an independent oversight. Bhushan pointed out that in 2011, (in the Lafarge mining case), the top court had directed the setting up of a national environment regulator, which could ensure an independent oversight on green clearances given for various projects.
After hearing these submissions, a bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian asked the Centre to file its reply in the matter.
The top court also a issued notice to the Centre on a plea by Bhushan, seeking quashing of a notification, which said there would be no need for the environmental clearance for road projects of up to 100 km length.
As Bhushan insisted that environmental clearances are farce, the Chief Justice replied that on Monday there was a matter in which the court learnt that the Wildlife Board of India has not met for six years. Bhushan said that even he had heard about this.
Concluding the hearing, the bench said that Bhushan’s petition will be listed with the matter challenging the non-functioning of the Wildlife Board. The bench has posted that matter for further hearing after two weeks, besides seeking the Centre’s reply on the appointment of an environmental regulator.
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