The government has stated that only accredited consultants will be allowed to prepare environment impact assessment (EIA) reports and environment management plan (EMP) for the projects seeking green clearances. The EIA and EMP for any project seeking environment clearance are prepared only after the Environment Ministry issues terms of reference.
In its notification the government has stated that environmental consultant organisations which are accredited for a particular sector and the category of project for that sector with the Quality Council of India or National Accreditation Board for Education and Training or any other agency as may be notified by the Ministry of Environment from time to time shall be allowed to prepare EIA and EMP of a project in that sector and category. The notification also added only accredited consultants will appear before the concerned Expert Appraisal Committee or the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), and that ministry will prepare a panel of national-level reputed educational and research institutions to work as environmental consultant organizations.
Earlier, the Centre had barred the UP-based Mantec Consultants for one year for preparing environment impact assessment and management plan reports for 10 projects of the state-owned Kandla Port Trust without any permission.