MP SEIAA Row Deepens Over 237 ‘Erroneous’ Deemed Permissions, Chairman Writes To Chief Secretary

The Union Environment Ministry has appointed a fact-finding team to investigate the deemed permissions given by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) member secretary in 237 cases, which they deem to be erroneous. The SEIAA chairman, SN Singh Chouhan, has written to Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal, urging him to direct officials to clear 500 cases, including the 237 deemed permissions.

Chouhan also called for the additional chief secretary, Aniruddha Mukherjee, to cease his interference in SEIAA's functioning and allow the authority to operate without hindrance. The chairman further criticized the SEIAA member secretary for inadequate meeting schedules and the lack of timely submission of meeting minutes on the Parivesh Portal.

The fact-finding committee from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Union Environment Ministry stated that the 237 deemed permissions were unlawful, as the law does not permit such permissions. The SEIAA member secretary's non-compliance with the NGT order and the additional chief secretary's failure to issue a directive for adherence to the NGT instructions are seen as violations of the authority's orders.

Chouhan has also advised Barnwal to review SEIAA's affairs to address the pending environment clearance cases.