Archive · 7 Oct 2026
MP SEIAA Chairman Challenges 237 Deemed Environmental Permissions
Madhya Pradesh’s environmental clearance authority is facing a dispute over 237 permissions.
A fact-finding team from the Union Environment Ministry reportedly said those permissions were given incorrectly.
The authority’s chairman, SN Singh Chouhan, wrote to Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal about the issue.
He asked for help dealing with 500 pending cases and for support for the authority.
Chouhan also said another senior official was interfering with its work.
He criticized the lack of regular meetings and delays in posting meeting records.
He said environmental clearances should be decided in meetings.
He asked the chief secretary to review the authority’s work and help clear pending cases.
A Union Environment Ministry fact-finding team reportedly found 237 deemed permissions issued by Madhya Pradesh SEIAA to be erroneous.
SEIAA chairman SN Singh Chouhan wrote to Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal about the disputed permissions and pending cases.
Chouhan urged the chief secretary to direct officials to dispose of 500 cases, including the 237 permissions, and provide SEIAA logistical support.
In his letter, Chouhan accused Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee of interfering in SEIAA’s work and criticized delays in meetings and uploading minutes.
Chouhan said environmental clearances should be granted through SEIAA meetings and asked for a review to clear pending cases.
- Who
- SEIAA chairman SN Singh Chouhan, Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal, and Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee.
- What
- Chouhan wrote to Barnwal over 237 disputed deemed permissions and a backlog of environmental clearance cases.
- Where
- Madhya Pradesh, India.
- Why
- Chouhan said the permissions were erroneous, cases were pending, and SEIAA’s functioning was affected by interference and administrative delays.
Chouhan’s allegations
Other officials’ response
SEIAA interference and functioning
Chouhan’s allegations
Chouhan accused Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee of interfering in SEIAA’s work and asked that the authority be allowed to function properly.
Other officials’ response
The article provides no response from Mukherjee or other officials.
Deemed permissions
Chouhan’s allegations
Chouhan cited a fact-finding team’s view that the 237 deemed permissions were erroneous and said the law did not permit them.
Other officials’ response
The article does not include a response from the member secretary or another official defending the permissions.
- Disputed permissions
- 237 deemed permissions, described as erroneous by a Union Environment Ministry fact-finding team.
- Cases cited
- 500 cases, including the 237 deemed permissions.
- Letter writer
- SEIAA chairman SN Singh Chouhan.
- Letter recipient
- Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal.
- Other official named
- Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee.
- Portal mentioned
- Parivesh Portal, where Chouhan said meeting minutes were not uploaded within the time limit.