NEW DELHI: In order to end unnecessary delay in assessing projects for environmental clearances (EC), the Union environment ministry has proposed to set up a central body — Standing Committee on Environment Impact Appraisal (SCEIA) — for each State/UT, which will appraise projects when state-level panels are non-functional. The idea behind the proposal is to ensure continuity in functioning of state-level committees by establishing a separate standing body as an “interim arrangement” for the purpose of appraisal of projects and grant of regulatory environmental clearances. The standing body will function and take a call on green issues only till the constitution of state-level bodies.In many cases, state-level committees remain non-functional due to expiry of their term or on account of other circumstances. This leads to unnecessary delay in assessment of projects.Based on the experience of past years, the ministry had on Mar 5 issued a draft notification in this regard to seek stakeholders’ suggestions. A final decision on setting up a standing body will be taken after processing those suggestions.“In the event the application for grant of EC is not appraised by the concerned State Level Expert Appraisal Committee within a period of 120 days from the date of submission of the complete application by the project proponent, the application shall be automatically forwarded to the SCEIA, through PARIVESH portal, for consideration, which shall appraise such project and provide its recommendations as per the scenarios and within the time frame mentioned,” said the ministry’s draft notification.A day after notifying the draft, the ministry on Mar 6 issued a separate office memorandum (OM) on guidelines to be followed by states while sending proposals for re-constitution of state-level environment impact assessment authorities and expert appraisal committees. It directed the states that the process for finalising proposals for re-constitution of state-level panels may be initiated “well in advance” so that the proposals, complete in all respects, may reach the ministry at least six months prior to expiry of the terms of state bodies.