Poll codes are a set of guidelines to govern the conduct of political parties and candidates in the run-up to an election
The Election Commission has shown a green flag to the government for granting environmental and forest clearances when the Model Code of Conduct is in force, according to a letter from the Union environment ministry to state pollution control boards.
The green ministry's communication came on the back of queries and requests from anti-pollution authorities and project proponents seeking clarification on how to go about clearing cases linked to environment and forest during MCC period.
Poll codes are a set of guidelines to govern the conduct of political parties and candidates in the run-up to an election. They also bar the government from taking decisions that have the potential to provide the ruling party any advantage.
In its letter of April 10, the ministry said, "The ministry had sought a clarification on March 14 from the election commission as to whether environmental clearance and forest clearance can be granted during the period of MCC imposed by the EC. The EC clarified that the commission has no objections from MCC angle therein."
The Election Commisison had announced Lok Sabha election schedule on March 10 and the MCC kicked in immediately.
Since then, the environment ministry and its statutory bodies have taken decisions, including coastal clearance for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train and wildlife clearance for a major road project within Mumbai.
Under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and Forest Conservation Act, 1980, the environment ministry and its statutory expert appraisal committees on various sectors appraise projects. The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority does the same appraisal at the level of state governments. Beside these clearances, industries and development projects situated within national parks and sanctuaries or within their eco-sensitive zones also need a statutory wildlife clearance from the National Board for Wildlife.
Throughout April, the expert committees on coal mining, industrial projects, infrastructure projects and construction projects have scheduled meetings to appraise projects, the ministry's website shows.
Even during the last elections, the outgoing United Progressive Alliance government the environment ministry, under M Veerappa Moily, had sought EC's nod to clear projects that were held up.
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