Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Centre Resumes Appraisal of Post-Facto Green Clearance Cases
Some projects started work or grew without first getting the environmental approval required by law.
These projects can involve construction, expansion or modernisation.
The Union Environment Ministry has told expert groups to start examining certain old applications again.
The Supreme Court had earlier allowed this process to continue according to the law.
The applications may be pending, rejected or returned.
However, officials must not accept new applications under this process.
The ministry gave this instruction on September 30.
The goal is to finish reviewing the existing cases.
The Union Environment Ministry has directed expert bodies to resume processing post-facto environmental clearance proposals.
The move follows a Supreme Court ruling issued two months earlier.
The ruling allowed pending, rejected or returned proposals to be taken to their logical conclusion according to law.
Post-facto clearances concern projects that began, expanded or modernised without legally required prior approval.
The September 30 directive says no fresh post-facto proposals should be accepted.
- Who
- The Union Environment Ministry, central and state-level expert bodies, pollution control boards and the Supreme Court are involved.
- What
- The ministry directed authorities to resume processing existing post-facto environmental clearance proposals.
- When
- The direction was issued on September 30, two months after the Supreme Court ruling.
- Where
- The process applies to central and state-level environmental appraisal and pollution-control authorities.
- Why
- The Supreme Court permitted pending, rejected or returned proposals to be taken to their logical conclusion in accordance with law.
- Directive issuer
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- Directive date
- September 30
- Proposals covered
- Pending, rejected or returned post-facto environmental clearance proposals
- Authorities addressed
- Central and state-level expert appraisal bodies, environmental impact assessment authorities and pollution control boards
- New proposals
- No fresh proposals should be accepted
- Court action
- The Supreme Court permitted existing proposals to be taken to their logical conclusion according to law
- Clearance meaning
- Post-facto clearances concern projects that began, expanded or modernised without prior approval