Green nod exemption for schools, colleges

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 19

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has exempted educational institutions from seeking environmental clearance under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) norms, 2006, as per a clarification received by the State EIA Committee. The ministry had, in December 2014, stated that all educational institutions would come under its purview. Since a number of representations were received from various institutions, the ministry had examined the matter.

These institutions will, however, be liable to follow sustainable environment management as per a June 9 direction of the ministry, a copy of which was available with The Tribune. The ministry had earlier exempted school, college and hostel buildings from seeking nod and since the issue pertaining to universities had not been dealt with, a clarification had been sought by officials of the State Pollution Control Board.

This has come as a relief for 18 private universities and several private institutions for whom obtaining this clearance had become a herculean task. Barely two universities, including Bahra University at Waknaghat, had to follow rigorous procedures in obtaining a nod, a majority institutes were yet to complete the formalities for obtaining this clearance.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests had made it mandatory for all projects, having a built-up area of more than 20,000 sq feet, to take clearance prior to construction.