About Us
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India notified in September 2006 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 procedures for obtaining Environmental clearance for various projects. Projects like Nuclear Power, Offshore drilling, Petroleum refinery, Asbestos, Chemical Fertilizers, require environmental clearance from Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests. Projects like Townships, Building construction projects, Sugar, Common effluent treatment plants, Municipal solid waste management facilities can be granted Environmental Clearance at the State level, by the Environment Impact Assessment Authority. Some of the projects like Mining, Thermal Power Plants, Cement, Distilleries, Pulp and Paper, Industrial Estates can be granted Environmental Clearance at either Government of India level by the Government of India, Ministry of State Environment and Forests or State level by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority.
The Notification provides for constitution of a State Environment Impact Assessment authority empowered to grant Environmental Clearance to mitigate pollution and protect environment which is essential pre-requisite in the process of starting a project. To assist this Authority, a State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) is constituted. The Expert Appraisal Committee will scrutinize the projects and forward its recommendations to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for granting Environmental Clearance.
On the recommendation of Government of Tamilnadu, Government of India notified on 3rd March 2008, the constitution of a three member State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and a 14 Member State Level Expert Appraisal Committee for Tamilnadu. The Authority and the Committee have started functioning with effect from 19/03/2008.
The project proposals in the state will be received by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, scrutinized and referred to the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee for their appraisal. Based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority will decide the issue of Environmental Clearance.