Timing stitch

• The Supreme Court of India has ruled two notifications by the Union Environment Ministry as “illegal” in India.

• The Ministry allowed industrial units to set up, expand operations, or change manufacturing practices without government permission.

• The Ministry had previously issued a “one-time” six-month window for industries without the right environmental clearances.

• In 2021, it instituted a’standard operating procedure’ that allowed projects in violation of the laws to apply for regularisation, albeit at the cost of heavy fines.

• The Centre argued that the process for regularising projects had already been initiated by the United Progressive Alliance government in 2012 and 2013.

• The Centre cited examples of disputes involving copper mines to pharmaceutical companies where courts agreed a “balanced” approach was necessary.

• The Centre argued that industrial units seeking to be regularised would have to pay fines for the period they had functioned in violation.

• The judgment should ideally nip any attempts by future governments to condone violations in the name of the economy.