Moratorium on environmental clearance in 8 areas lifted

The Environment Ministry has lifted a moratorium on environmental clearance for new projects in eight critically-polluted areas in five states, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.    The ministry had imposed a moratorium on environmental clearance for new projects in 43 critically polluted industrial clusters in order to stimulate environmental "remediation and mitigation" activities by the industry and the state governments concerned.    After receiving recommendations from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the ministry has decided to lift the moratorium in eight more critically polluted areas since yesterday, an official release said.    "The moratorium was lifted on February 15 in 8 more critically polluted areas based on recommendations received from the CPCB. These are Ludhiana (Punjab), Varanasi-Mirzapur and Agra (UP), Bhavnagar (Gujarat), Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Dombivalli, Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra),"it said.    The process of verification of implementation of action plans in another 25 critically polluted areas is under way and it is expected to be completed in the next three-four weeks after which a decision will be taken on the lifting of the moratorium in these areas, it said.