Get alerts on this situation
We’ll email you as it develops, and you can follow the whole thread from day one.
Unsubscribe anytime.
[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]
2 clusters · 7 sources · 1 days · First seen · Last updated
Categories: POLITICS
India environmental clearance oversight
Entities: 2021 Office Memorandum · Chief Justice Surya Kant · Environmental Relief Fund · Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change · Central Pollution Control Board
Overview
In late July 2026, the Indian government announced that it had granted environmental clearances for 20 infrastructure projects located wholly or partially within protected areas and eco‑sensitive zones. Each approval was conditioned on project‑specific safeguards such as wildlife protection, habitat conservation and compensatory plantation, and required multi‑tiered review by state and national wildlife authorities.
Later the same day, the Supreme Court intervened, ordering the central government to file a detailed affidavit on the largely undistributed Environmental Relief Fund and directing the Central Pollution Control Board to assist. The Court also struck down a 2021 office memorandum that had allowed retrospective environmental clearances for projects already under construction, ruling that any change must be made through formal legal notification and apply only prospectively. The rulings highlight a growing judicial scrutiny of India’s environmental approval processes and a push for stricter procedural compliance.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] During the financial years 2024‑25 and 2025‑26, environmental clearance was granted to 20 infrastructure projects or activities wholly or partly in a Protected Area or Eco‑Sensitive Zone. (Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The clearances include project‑specific environmental safeguards such as wildlife protection, habitat conservation, pollution control, compensatory plantation and environmental monitoring. (Kirti Vardhan Singh)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Proposals requiring Wildlife Clearance are examined through a multi‑tiered mechanism involving the State Chief Wildlife Warden, the State Board for Wildlife, the Ministry and the Standing Committee of (Kirti Vardhan Singh)
- [● 2 SOURCES] No construction or other project‑related activities can commence without obtaining Wildlife Clearance under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. (Kirti Vardhan Singh)
Timeline
-
1 day ago
[POLITICS] 4 sourcesIndia Supreme Court nullifies retroactive environmental clearance rule, probes fund usageIndia’s Supreme Court ordered a probe into the Environmental Relief Fund’s use and struck down the 2021 rule allowing retroactive environmental clearances, mandating prior approval for new projects.
-
2 days ago
[POLITICS] 3 sourcesIndia clears 20 infrastructure projects in protected areas, says MoS Kirti Vardhan SinghIndia approved environmental clearance for 20 projects in protected areas for FY 2024‑26, with safeguards and multi‑tiered wildlife review, said MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Sources
bhaskarlive.in · downtoearth.org.in · dtnext.in · newindianexpress.com · news18.com · satyagrah.scroll.in · socialnews.xyz