Official sources said that at a meeting of the group of ministers here on Tuesday, the ministry - which was virtually the only one to pitch for this new rule - agreed to revoke it and allow green clearances for projects based on existing legal provisions. With this, the GoM's job becomes easier, as other ministries are opposed to the norm anyway. The coal ministry too is upset over this classification, which has impeded its efforts to increase coal output and narrow the widening demand-supply gap in case of the most prominent fuel for thermal power.
A Planning Commission committee headed by member BK Chaturvedi had recommended withdrawal of the go/no-go classification.
“At today's GoM meeting there was a broad consensus that the existing Forest Conservation Act (FCA) is competent to handle green issues regarding coal mining," said a government official privy to the development. Read the full report here.
Source: Financial Express, New Delhi.
