The Kerala State Pollution Control Board, (KeralaSPCB), on February 02, 2024, issued a notification regarding the Commencement of Validity of Environmental Clearance for Mining & quarrying projects.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has amended the guidelines on Environmental Clearance (EC) validity for projects.
EC validity extends from the date the clearance is granted or presumed granted until:
The start of production operations or Completion of construction operations (for construction projects under Schedule item 8).
For mining projects, validity starts from the execution date of the mining lease.
As per the Government of Kerala's notification, EC validity for mining leases begins on the date of the lease or permit execution issued by the Department of Mining & Geology.
The Kerala High Court, in WP(C) No. 1848 of 2024, directed authorities to consider the Government Order for extensions of consent validity concerning EC for quarries.
This streamlined approach ensures consistency and clarity for EC validity, particularly for mining
[Notification No. KSPCB/98/2024-SEE-1]
