The Delhi high court last week ruled that if a mining lease holder already has a valid and subsisting environmental clearance, he should not be asked for yet another when he seeks renewal of the lease. The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries had challenged the notification of April last year under which the authorities demanded a fresh environmental clearance. The environment ministry had issued a notification in 2006 in respect of new projects or activities or the expansion or modernisation of existing projects or activities listed in the schedule to the notification which entailed capacity addition with a change in process and / or technology. Last year, the notification was amended on several points. The high court, allowing the petition of the federation, stated that mining lessees should not be asked to renew their leases according to the new notification.
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