Draft EIA Notification: HC Issues Notice on Centre’s Review Plea

The Delhi High Court has sought a response from environmental conservationist Vikrant Tongad.

On 30 June, the high court had asked MOEF to publish the Draft Notification in regional languages mentioned in the eighth schedule of the Constitution by 10 August. The bench had also pointed out that the deadline for filing objections to the Draft EIA Notification was 11 August.

(Photo: Shruti Mathur/The Quint)

Seeking a review of its direction to publish the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) in all the 22 languages in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution, the Centre has moved a plea in the Delhi High Court on Friday, 4 September, reported PTI.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the environmentalist, Vikrant Tongad, on whose plea the high court had issued the direction, and sought his response by 23 September, according to PTI.

Background

On 30 June, the high court had asked MOEF to publish the draft notification in regional languages mentioned in the eighth schedule of the Constitution by 10 August. The bench had also pointed out that the deadline for filing objections to the Draft EIA Notification was 11 August.

When the Centre appealed against this decision at the Supreme Court (SC), the top court asked it to first file a review petition in the Delhi HC itself. The SC also, however, barred any possible contempt proceeding against the Centre for not acting on the HC’s 30 June order, till the review petition was filed.

(With inputs from Live Law and PTI).