Prior Environmental Clearance is the statutory permission for any project listed in the EIA Notification, 2006 before construction or expansion begins. Whether your project is appraised centrally by the MoEFCC or by your State authority, we prepare the application on PARIVESH, present it to the committee, respond to each query and track the clearance until the letter is issued and conditions are mapped for compliance.
Legal basis: EIA Notification, 2006 (S.O. 1533(E)) and amendments under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; standard EC conditions notified by MoEFCC
Who needs it
- New industrial, mining, power, infrastructure and construction projects listed in the Schedule to the EIA Notification, 2006
- Existing units planning capacity expansion, product-mix change or modernisation that crosses a Schedule threshold
- Building projects above 20,000 sq m built-up area and area development projects above 50 ha or 1,50,000 sq m
- Projects acquired through a transfer that need the EC transferred to the new owner
- Units that need an EC amendment for change in configuration, raw material or project proponent
- Projects whose ToR or EC is expiring and needs extension or fresh appraisal
Common in:Manufacturing & Industrial UnitsRecyclers & Waste ProcessorsPharma & ChemicalsReal Estate & Infrastructure
Documents required
- 1Form 1 / Form 1A duly filled and signed by the project proponent
- 2Pre-feasibility report and, for B1 / A projects, the final EIA report and EMP
- 3Approved ToR letter and compliance to ToR conditions (point-wise)
- 4Public hearing proceedings and action plan on issues raised (where applicable)
- 5Land ownership or lease documents and land-use conversion / NA order
- 6Consent to Establish, CGWA NOC, forest or wildlife clearance where applicable
- 7Layout plan, green belt plan and water balance diagram
- 8Certified compliance report of existing EC from the MoEFCC Regional Office (for expansions)
- 9Board resolution and authorisation for the signatory
- 10Undertaking on CER commitment and EMP budget
Missing something? We help you obtain or regularise supporting documents before filing.
How we get it done
- 1
Applicability and strategy
Week 1–2We confirm the Schedule category, general conditions and whether a full EIA, B2 appraisal or amendment route applies, and we map the timeline against your construction schedule.
- 2
Application on PARIVESH
Week 2–4Form 1, PFR, EIA report and supporting documents are compiled and submitted on the PARIVESH portal with the Know Your Approval (KYA) outputs and fee details.
- 3
Essential details sought (EDS)
Week 4–8The ministry or SEIAA secretariat scrutinises the file and raises EDS queries. We prepare point-wise responses within the stipulated time so the proposal is listed for the next meeting.
- 4
Committee presentation
Week 8–20We prepare the presentation, brief your technical team and attend the EAC / SEAC meeting. Additional information sought by the committee is compiled and resubmitted.
- 5
Grant of EC and condition mapping
Week 20–30After the committee recommends the project, the EC letter is issued with specific and general conditions. We convert every condition into a compliance register with owners and due dates.
If you don’t comply
Commencing construction or expansion without prior EC is an offence under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, punishable with imprisonment up to 5 years and fines, and the project becomes a 'violation case' subject to environmental compensation and remediation plans. The NGT has ordered stoppage of work, demolition and recovery of compensation from projects operating without EC, and non-compliance with EC conditions can lead to revocation.
Why MYDA Group
Specialists, not generalists
Environmental compliance is our only practice, so your file is handled by people who do this every day.
Fixed fee, written scope
You know the professional fee and the statutory fees before we start. No surprise add-ons.
Inspection and audit-ready
We prepare your site and team for the board visit or certification audit and attend it with you.
Lifetime reminders
Every condition, return and renewal goes into your compliance calendar with alerts.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an EC if I already have a Consent to Establish from the SPCB?
Yes, if your project falls in the Schedule to the EIA Notification, 2006. CTE under the Water and Air Acts and EC under the EP Act are separate permissions; for scheduled projects, the SPCB generally insists on the EC before or alongside the CTE, and the EC conditions are carried into the consent.
What is a B2 project and does it need a public hearing?
The SEAC classifies Category B projects into B1 and B2 at the scoping stage. B2 projects are appraised on the strength of Form 1 and project documents without a full EIA study or a public hearing, which makes the process significantly faster. Several sectors, such as certain building and construction projects, are categorised B2 by default in the Notification.
How long is an EC valid and can it be extended?
Under the amended Notification, the EC for most project categories is valid for 10 years for commencing construction or operations, with longer validity notified for river valley and mining projects. Extensions are possible on application before expiry; once the project starts operating, the EC continues to govern the unit subject to condition compliance.
Can the EC be transferred if the project changes hands?
Yes. The EC can be transferred to a new project proponent on application to the regulatory authority with the transferor's no-objection and an undertaking from the transferee to comply with all conditions. We handle the transfer and any consequential amendment to the consents.
What ongoing obligations come with an EC?
The proponent must submit half-yearly compliance reports to the MoEFCC Integrated Regional Office and the SPCB (by 1 June and 1 December), upload monitoring data, display the EC conditions at the site and on the company website, and comply with CER and EMP commitments. Our compliance retainer tracks these for you.