Parliament Question: Defence Infrastructure Projects Approved by Standing Committee of NBWL

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 246 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 Defence Infrastructure Projects Approved by Standing Committee of NBWL

246. SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to

state:

(a) the complete list of all defence and strategic infrastructure projects approved by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) since 2014, including names of project, implementing agency, estimated cost and current status;

(b) the details of protected areas, sanctuaries, national parks or eco-sensitive zones impacted by these clearances, State-wise;

(c) whether any cumulative or project-specific Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) were conducted before grant of such approvals and if so, whether those reports will be tabled or made public;

(d) the details of conditions and mitigation measures laid down by SC-NBWL for these clearances, and whether any monitoring mechanism exists to ensure compliance; and

(e) whether the Government has issued any general guidelines for future clearances of strategic projects in ecologically sensitive border regions and if not, whether it proposes to do so? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (e) The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL), constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, examines proposals submitted by the State governments/Union territories through State Board for Wild life. The proposals are applied online through Parivesh portal under various categories such as road, industry, infrastructure, hydel, defence, rail, transmission line and others etc. and are processed as per the extant provisions and guidelines in this regard. The details of the proposals submitted online also available on parivesh.nic.in.

The proposals falling in Protected Areas namely National Park and Sanctuaries and in their notified or default Eco-Sensitive Zones, which may or may not be situated on the forest land are dealt on merits on a case-to-case basis.

Environmental and wildlife considerations, including project-specific assessments and mitigation measures, are examined as per applicable laws and guidelines. The SCNBWL imposes conditions and mitigation measures to minimize impact on wildlife and habitats, compliance of which is monitored by the concerned State/UT Governments.The Government has issued guidelines and advisories from time to time for appraisal of infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive areas, including border regions, and the appraisal mechanism is continuously reviewed and strengthened.

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