The EIA Notification, 2006 mandates prior Environmental Clearance (EC) for new projects or activities including expansion, or modernization of existing projects listed in its Schedule. The Category 'A' projects shall obtain EC from the Central Government and Category 'B' projects from the concerned State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA)/Union Territory Environment Impact Assessment Authority (UTEIAA). The EIA Notification, 2006 prescribes that
Category 'B' projects, will be further categorized as category 'B1' and 'B2' (except for Township and Area Development Projects) for which the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) shall issue appropriate guidelines from time to time - provisions under '7.1 Stage(1)-Screening' of the Notification refer. The projects categorized as B1 will require EIA Report for appraisal and to undergo public consultation process (as applicable). Projects categorized as 'B2' will be
appraised based on the application in Form-I accompanied with the Pre-feasibility Report and any other documents.
In compliance with such a requirement under the EIA Notification and to examine other issues, the MoEF had constituted vide O.M No. J-11013/1212013-IA-II(I) dated 30.01.2013, an Expert Committee, under the Chairmanship of Director, NEERI, Nagpur. The Committee has since submitted its report. The recommendations of the Committee have been examined by
MOEF and the following has been decided w.r.t. categorization of Category 'B' projects/activities into Category 'B1' & 'B2' listed in the Schedule of EIA Notification, 2006 and its amendments