The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has reconstituted the Union Territory Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the Union Territory Level Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Chandigarh for a three-year term under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
The Chandigarh Environment Impact Assessment Authority will comprise Dr. Harsh Mitter as Chairman, Dr. Randeep Singh Saini (Environment and Quality Management Practitioner) as Member and the Director, Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration, as Member Secretary.
Mitter is former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden for the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and has contributed to the census of heritage trees in Chandigarh.
The authority will be responsible for considering environmental clearance proposals and taking decisions based on the recommendations of the EAC. The Chairman and members will hold office for three years from the date of publication of the notification.
The central government has also constituted a 10-member Union Territory level EAC to assist the authority in evaluating projects requiring environmental clearance.
The committee will be chaired by Dr. Avinash Kumar Sharda of Panchkula. Other members include Professor Devinder Singh of Patiala, Dr. Alka Sharma Grover of Chandigarh, Professor Daizy R. Batish of the Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Dr. Sarita Gupta of Panchkula, Er. Daljeet Singh Cheema of Chandigarh and Sunil Aggarwal of Jagraon, Ludhiana.
Representatives of the Central Ground Water Board and the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee will also serve as members, while a Scientist-SD from the Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration, will function as Member Secretary.
The notification stipulates that the authority will take decisions on the basis of recommendations made by the EAC. All decisions are expected to be taken unanimously in meetings. However, if a decision is taken by majority, details of dissenting and supporting views must be recorded in the minutes and communicated to the central government.
The EAC will function on the principle of collective responsibility. The chairman will endeavour to arrive at a consensus in each case, but where consensus is not possible, the majority view will prevail.
To ensure transparency and prevent conflict of interest, the notification requires members of both the authority and the committee to disclose their associations with consulting organisations and project proponents. Members will not be permitted to undertake consultancy assignments related to projects that are to be appraised or decided during their tenure.
Furthermore, any member who has provided consultancy services or conducted environmental impact assessment studies for a project proponent during the preceding five years must recuse himself or herself from the appraisal of such projects.
The Chandigarh Administration will designate an agency to act as the secretariat for both bodies and provide financial, administrative and logistical support, including accommodation and transport facilities. Sitting fees, travel allowances and dearness allowances for members will be paid in accordance with the rules applicable to the UT Administration.
The reconstitution of the authority and expert committee is significant as these bodies play a key role in the environmental clearance process for infrastructure, housing, industrial and other developmental projects in Chandigarh.
The move is expected to ensure continuity in environmental governance while maintaining regulatory oversight and environmental safeguards for future development in the Union Territory.
