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The Supreme Court has ruled that all construction projects involving industrial sheds, educational institutions, and hostels must obtain environmental clearance from State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs). This overturns earlier provisions that exempted such developments from scrutiny. While upholding revised central norms, the bench-led by Chief Justice B R Gavai-also clarified that states have jurisdiction over clearances in eco-sensitive zones, wildlife areas, polluted zones, and near inter-state borders. The court emphasised the need to balance ecological protection with economic progress, reinforcing the role of decentralised environmental governance in project approvals moving forward.
The Supreme Court has mandated that all construction projects related to industrial sheds, educational institutions, and hostels must secure environmental clearance from state regulatory authorities. This ruling came even as the apex bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran upheld a central government notification on revised environmental norms that had been issued in January. Advertisement
The Supreme Court firmly struck down the provision that granted full exemption from environmental scrutiny to projects in sectors like education and industry. It directed that such developments should proceed only after receiving approval from the respective State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
The court also settled a long-standing ambiguity over whether the Centre or state governments have jurisdiction over approvals in sensitive zones such as eco-fragile areas, wildlife zones, critically and severely polluted areas (CPA/SPA), and regions near inter-state borders. The bench ruled in favor of empowering the states for these decisions, reinforcing decentralised environmental governance.
Chief Justice Gavai, while stressing the importance of development, stated that while protecting the environment is essential, progress cannot be completely halted. Justice Chandran echoed the same sentiment, underlining the need to strike a balance between ecological concerns and economic growth.
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