Delhi HC issues notice on govt review petition against translation of EIA draft

The Delhi High Court today issued notice in Central Government's review petition against the judicial order to ensure that the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2020 is published in all the 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

The High Court in a ‪30 June order had observed that looking at the far reaching consequences of the public consultation process for which the draft notification has been published, arrangements should be made for its translation into other languages as well, at least those mentioned in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

The Court had also said that the translations should be published through the website of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India as well as on websites of environment ministries of all states as well as those of state pollution control boards.

The order had come on the plea seeking extension of the time to respond to the draft EIA 2020 till September or till the Covid-19 pandemic subsists.

The Delhi High Court on 31 August had issued notice to the Centre on a modification application seeking extension of the time for public comments on the draft EIA Notification 2020, by a period of 60 days from the date of uploading the translated versions of the draft notification in all the languages mentioned in Schedule VIII on the websites of respective State Pollution Control Boards.

The next hearing is scheduled on 18 September.

The hearing on the modification matter is listed for 23 September.