The Union Environment Ministry has liberalised the process of granting environmental clearances to projects that get delayed due to court cases. Henceforth, the period during which a project remains sub judice will be treated as “zero period”.

The government cited additional delays as the validity of environmental clearance often gets over by the time cases are settled in court as the rationale behind the move.

The term ‘validity of environmental clearance’ means the period within which the project proponent attains commencement of production operations or completion of all construction operations in case of construction projects.

The ministry, in a clarification note, said, “Instances have been brought to the notice of the ministry when the implementation of the environmental clearance

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