Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Infrastructure; Environment issues
In news:
Expert Appraisal Committee of the Environment Ministry has recommended the grant of Environmental Clearance for the development of an economic corridor — the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) — between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The greenfield highway is part of BharatmalaPariyojnaand will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India.
The new road would provide better, fast, safe and smooth connectivity for commuters between the two States as well as in the region.
The NHAI said that 12,111 trees would be felled for the project and 206 persons would be affected with regard to property and other structures.
Important value additions
About BharatmalaPariyojana
It is a new umbrella program for the highways sector that focuses on optimizing efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country.
It bridges critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions like development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads and Green-field expressways.
It is a centrally-sponsored and funded Road and Highways project of the Government of India.
It is both enabler and beneficiary of other key Government of India schemes, such as Sagarmala, Dedicated Freight Corridors, Industrial corridors, UDAN-RCS, BharatNet, Digital India and Make in India.
About Expert appraisal committee
It exists at the Union as well as state levels (state expert appraisal committee or SEAC)
It is formed to advise the government on environmental clearance of development projects.
They are involved at all the stages, except for public hearing.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
It is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development.
Both EPA and EIA are provided under Environment Protection Act 1980.
