In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed appeals challenging the National Green Tribunal's decision that General Conditions under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006 apply to building and construction projects located near sensitive areas. The Court held that the General Conditions never applied to such projects in the original 2006 Notification. The deliberate omission of these projects from Column 5 of the Schedule reflected legislative intent for state-level appraisal. When the Kerala High Court quashed the 2014 clarificatory notification on procedural grounds, it did not revive the General Conditions, as they were never originally applicable. The Court upheld the competence of State-level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities to appraise such projects and the principle of sustainable development balancing environmental protection with developmental needs.
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