The set of new environment impact assessment (EIA) norms, notified by the Union ministry of environment and forest in September, has been hailed as a watershed for the real estate industry by a majority of developers as well as a section of the administration.

According to the new set of rules, any building, construction project or township either with a built-up area or an activity area in the range of 20,000 sq m to 150,000 sq m will not have to submit any EIA report.

But they have to provide specific information in a prescribed form, which a pollution control board official described as “exhaustive”.

However, projects bigger than that — 150,000 sq m or more, and/or covering an area of 50 hectares or more — will be required to submit the EIA report, though consultation with people living in the vicinity is exempt. All clearances will be obtained at the state level and projects less than 20,000 sq m will not need any green clearance.

“The new norms mean that around 90 per cent of the projects will not require any green clearance now,” said Pradip Chopra of Credai, the developers’ apex body.

Earlier, a project attracting any of the three provisions — minimum capital investment of Rs 50 crore, discharging 50 kilo litres of effluent daily or housing 1,000 people — needed a clearance from Delhi, while any real estate project with a minimum 60,000 sq ft of construction had to submit the EIA report to the state agency. In the present clearance process, however, building space is the only criterion.

However, conceding that the real estate sector has been the major beneficiary in the latest revisions of EIA norms, pollution board officials warned that it may not be as simple as it seems.

“Though the promoters building real estate up to 150,000 sq m, i.e., about 16,00,000 sq ft, will not require to submit any EIA, they will have to provide information through an exhaustive questionnaire on more than 50 aspects. This may prove tougher than preparing a routine EIA, which more often than not is a copy-paste exercise,” said a state pollution control board official.

M.H. Hosabettu of the environment and forest ministry had earlier reasoned with The Telegraph that it was far more logical to ask for details of environment-related information on a specific housing project than insisting on a general EIA.

“Now the project proponent (requiring EIA) will have to apply to the state-level expert appraisal committee, which will spell out the comprehensive terms of reference for the EIA depending on the information provided,” an official said.

According to the new guidelines, once the final EIA is submitted, the appraisal will be carried out and a report placed before the state-level EIA authority for final clearance.

“We have no problem with the new structure of environmental clearance. We are very happy that less time will be lost now in obtaining clearance as there will be no need to rush to Delhi for every second project,” said Sumit Dabriwal, managing director of Calcutta Metropolitan Group and vice-president of Credai’s Bengal chapter.

The new norms have specified the maximum time limit at every stage of clearance, trying to make it a time-bound process.

Dabriwal, however, pointed out that the anomalies between the new central law and the existing real estate-related environment rules in the state should be ironed out at the earliest to clear confusion.

Neither the green lobby nor the administration seems too happy with the new regulations, though.

“The real estate sector has been a major violator in the past few years and that, too, when the earlier norms were supposed to be far more stringent. Now with this relaxation, things may become even worse,” said environment activist Subhas Dutta. “It is unthinkable that no provision for hearing public opinion is kept even in large housing projects, including townships,” Dutta added.

“Definitely, the new EIA norms for the real estate sector will have an adverse effect on the environment,” agreed a senior PCB official. “This is a serious issue and we have certain reservations. After interacting at the state-level with other relevant departments, we will convey our views to the Centre,” Mohanta Chatterjee, state environment minister, said.

The chief minister is expected to eventually finalise the state’s stand on EIA norms after receiving feedback from the environment department.