Parliament Question: Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Limited

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3841 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Limited 3841. SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has received any complaint regarding corruption in providing Environment Clearance to Shree Cement Limited, Khapradih, Tehsil Suhela, district Balodabazar (Chhattisgarh); (b) whether any action has been taken by the Government on said complaint and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether any action is required to be taken at the State level in Chhattisgarh in this regard, if so, the details thereof; (d) whether there is any discrepancy in the presentation of facts relating to the said complaint in Lok Sabha and the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, if so, the details thereof; and (e) whether the Government has directed the Integrated Regional Office, Raipur, Chhattisgarh to conduct an inquiry in this matter and if so, the details thereof ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a)to(e) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), including its Sub-Office Raipur, had received complaints regarding the cement plant of M/s Shree Raipur Cement Plant (a unit of M/s Shree Cement Limited) located near Village Khapradih, Tehsil Simga, District Balodabazar – Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh alleging irregularities in the grant of Environment Clearance (EC) and non-compliance of its conditions. The complaints were sent to the MoEFCC Sub-Office, Raipur (SO Raipur) for examination and submission of report. The SO Raipur had examined the complaints, and submitted a Certified Compliance Report (CCR) and a Factual Status Report vide letters dated 10-09-2025 and 11-09-2025, respectively. The CCR was examined in the MoEFCC and steps were taken as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) issued by the Ministry vide Office Memorandum dated 25-11-2022 for post-environmental clearance monitoring and to ensure compliance with the stipulated conditions. As per the Compliance Status Report submitted by Project Proponent and the final Review Report by SO Raipur, no major violation of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 has been observed, prima facie for the cementplant operations. Further, the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) has informed that in a leakage incident, an environment compensation of ₹4,00,000/- vide letter dated 27.02.2025 and ₹10,20,000/- vide letter dated 28-03-2025 was imposed on the cement plant for violation of the provisions of Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The MoEFCC had earlier presented the facts related to the cement plant before Lok Sabha in a reply to Unstarred Question No. 3939 titled ‘Environmental Clearance to Shree Cement Ltd.’ on 18-08-2025 based on the information available. The CECB has informed that no question has been received related to the said complaint in Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly till 31-01-2026, hence; there is no discrepancy in presentation of facts. *****Accordingly, Ministry vide letter dated 10-10-2025 sought an Action Taken Report from the Project Proponent (PP). Further, vide letter dated 03-12-2025, MoEFCC sought a Review Report from the SO Raipur. The Review Report was submitted vide letter dated 05-12-2025 by SO Raipur. The PP submitted an updated compliance Report vide email dated 09-01-2026 in response to the Review Report submitted by the SO Raipur. As per the Review Report, no non-compliance has been reported.