Patna, Aug. 12: All buildings in the state having a built- up area of more than 20,000sqm may soon be required to get environment clearance before commencing any construction.

The recently constituted State-Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Bihar, is gearing up for strict implementation of environment regulations.

“According to a notification of the central ministry of environment and forest, dated September 15, 2006, all buildings having a built-up area equal to or more than 20,000sqm should have prior environment clearance. As such construction activities come under the ambit of SEIAA. I am going to write a letter to the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) seeking the status of environment clearance of such buildings in the state. I would also write to the principal secretary of the state, urban development department, seeking strict adherence to this notification by the department for regulated growth in the state,” said Ramesh Chandra Sinha, chairman, SEIAA.

SEIAA-Bihar is a three-member body consisting of a chairman, a member and a member secretary. The authority is assisted by a state-level expert appraisal committee (SEAC) which comprises seven members having relevant experience.

SEIAA is entrusted with the responsibility to conduct environment impact assessment and give environment clearance to applications received under category B industries and constructions, which include all sugar industries, power plants with the capacity of less than 500MW, hydroelectric plants having capacity of less than 50MW, all non-molasses-based distilleries having capacity of less than 30kilo litres per day and building constructions more than 20,000sqm. It also includes townships projects covering an area equal to or more than 50 hectares.

After getting an environment clearance from SEIAA, the applicant is supposed to apply to BSPCB for getting a no-objection certificate (NOC) to establish the unit and another NOC to operate it.