NGT issues no relaxation on environment clearances

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), principal bench, New Delhi, has declined to relax its order restraining the government from granting environment clearance till all states submit their coastal zone management plans (CZMP) to the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC). The tribunal extended the time to prepare these coastal plans to August 31. It, however, ordered that further progress in the matter be brought on record by April 30 this year. The matter has now been fixed for hearing on May 9. The tribunal’s attention was drawn to the Supreme Court’s order dated January 21 this year, allowing liberty to applicants to approach the NGT with prayers for relaxation of the stay order granted by the tribunal. The tribunal’s judges stated that the stay granted by it in its order dated November 22, 2017, was to the effect that environment clearance (EC) may not be granted till finalisation of coastal plans and that it was issued at the request of the MoEFCC.