January 22, 2026

PARIVESH Portal Guide Track Environmental Clearances, EIA Reports & Forest Land Diversion

PARIVESH Portal Guide: Track Environmental Clearances, EIA Reports & Forest Land Diversion description: "The ultimate 24x7 guide to the PARIVESH Portal (Ministry of Environment). Learn how to track Environmental Clearances (EC) for factories and mines, download the EIA Report, check Public Hearing minutes, and report non-compliance." date: 2026-01-13 author: Resources Desk | Sansad Online tags: [PARIVESH, Environmental Clearance, EIA Report, Forest Clearance, NGT, Public Hearing, Pollution Control, MoEFCC]

🌳 24x7 Resource: PARIVESH Portal (Environmental Watch)

The Green Hub

Access the permissions behind every major project in India.

  • Official Portal: parivesh.nic.in
  • Full Form: Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single-window Hub.
  • Key Document: EIA Report (Environmental Impact Assessment).
  • Motto: "Economy and Ecology together."
🏛️ LEGAL RIGHT: Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, no major industry (Category A or B) can break ground without an Environmental Clearance (EC). This clearance is public information. If a builder refuses to show you the EC letter, you can download it from PARIVESH and drag them to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Introduction: The "Green License"

(Why You Need to Monitor This)

In India, "Development" often conflicts with "Environment." A new mine might bring jobs, but it might also poison the local river. A new highway might save time, but it might cut through an Elephant Corridor.

To balance this, the government created a system. Before a company (User Agency) cuts a single tree or lays a brick, they must apply for three types of permissions on the PARIVESH portal:

  1. Environment Clearance (EC): For pollution and impact.
  2. Forest Clearance (FC): For diverting forest land to non-forest use.
  3. Wildlife Clearance (WL): For projects near Sanctuaries/National Parks.

The beauty of PARIVESH is transparency. The company must upload their detailed study (EIA Report) proving that the damage will be minimal. They must upload the minutes of the Public Hearing (Jan Sunwai) where villagers objected.

This "24x7 Resource Page" teaches you how to act as a "Green Watchdog." You will learn how to find out if that stone crusher near your house is legal, and if they are fulfilling the promise to plant 10,000 trees as compensation.

🔍 How to Search for a Project

The portal has recently been updated (Parivesh 2.0), but the tracking feature remains the core tool.

Step 1: Access the "Track Proposal" Feature

  • Go to: parivesh.nic.in.
  • Click: "Track Your Proposal" (usually on the home page dashboard).

You don't need the exact file number. You can search by location.

  • State: Select your State (e.g., Odisha).
  • District: Select your District (e.g., Keonjhar).
  • Category: Select "Environment Clearance" or "Forest Clearance."
  • Status: Select "Granted" (to see approved projects) or "Pending" (to see upcoming ones).

Step 3: Browse the List

  • The portal will list every project in that district—from "Expansion of Steel Plant" to "Sand Mining on River Bed."
  • Click on the Proposal Number (e.g., IA/OR/IND/12345/2024) to open the project details.

📄 Decoding the Documents: What to Download?

When you open a project page, you will see a list of PDF files. These are your evidence.

1. The EIA Report (Environmental Impact Assessment)

  • What it is: A massive (300+ page) study conducted by a consultant.
  • What to check:
    • Baseline Data: Did they claim "No reserved forest within 10km" when you know there is one?
    • Flora/Fauna: Did they say "No endangered species found" when you have seen leopards there?
    • Tip: False information in an EIA is grounds for cancelling the clearance (See Hanuman Laxman Aroskar vs UOI case).

2. The Public Hearing (Jan Sunwai) Minutes

  • What it is: Before clearance, the Collector must hold a meeting with locals.
  • What to check: Read the "Minutes of Meeting" PDF. Does it accurately record the villagers' objections? Or does it falsely say "Villagers welcomed the project"?

3. The EC Letter (The Grant)

  • What it is: The final permission letter signed by the Ministry.
  • What to check: "Specific Conditions."
    • Example: "The industry shall install an Air Quality Monitor at the gate."
    • Action: Go to the gate. Is the monitor there? If not, it is a violation.

🌳 Forest Clearance (FC): Saving the Trees

If a project involves cutting a forest, the rules are stricter.

  • Stage-I Clearance (In-Principle): The Govt says "Okay, but first you must pay for 'Compensatory Afforestation' (CAMPA) and transfer non-forest land to us."
  • Stage-II Clearance (Final): Given only after the money is paid and land is transferred.
  • What to check: Check the "KML File" (Map). You can open this in Google Earth to see exactly which patch of forest they are allowed to cut. If they cut outside this red line, it is illegal.

🏭 Compliance Reports: The "Six-Monthly" Lie?

This is the most powerful tool for activists.

  • The Rule: Every project with an EC must submit a Six-Monthly Compliance Report (every June and December) stating "We are following all rules."
  • The Audit: You can download these reports from PARIVESH.
  • The Reality: Often, companies just Copy-Paste "Complied" in every column.
  • Your Job: Print the report, go to the site, take photos of the violation (e.g., "Effluent being dumped in river"), and file a complaint showing the contradiction.

🏛️ How to File a Complaint (NGT)

If you find a violation on PARIVESH, you don't complain on the portal (it has no grievance redressal). You go to the Courts.

  1. The Forum: National Green Tribunal (NGT).
  2. The Proof: The documents downloaded from PARIVESH (EC Letter vs Ground Reality).
  3. The Limitation: You must file the case within 30 days (extendable to 90 days) of the EC being uploaded on PARIVESH. This is why checking the portal weekly is crucial.

Your environmental toolkit:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Can I see projects in my neighborhood?

Yes. Use the "KML/Shape File" feature on the new PARIVESH 2.0 dashboard. It opens a GIS map of India where you can zoom into your village and see pins for every approved mine/factory.

Q2. What is "Category A" vs "Category B"?

  • Category A: Large projects (e.g., Nuclear Plants, Big Highways). Cleared by the Central Ministry (MoEFCC) in Delhi.
  • Category B: Smaller projects (e.g., Small Mines, Building Construction). Cleared by the SEIAA (State Environment Impact Assessment Authority).
  • Note: PARIVESH hosts data for both Central and State clearances.

Q3. What is a "Public Consultation" exemption?

Sometimes, the government exempts a project from Public Hearing citing "Strategic Importance" or "Expansion within same premises."

  • If you see this exemption in the file, you can challenge it if the project actually affects local population density.

Q4. Can I see the "ToR" (Terms of Reference)?

Yes. Before the EIA is done, the Ministry issues a ToR letter telling the company what to study.

  • Example: "Study the impact on the nearby Tiger Reserve."
  • If the final EIA ignores the Tiger Reserve, you can cite the ToR violation.

Q5. Is this data available for old projects (pre-2014)?

Partially. The digital system became mandatory around 2014-15. For older projects ("Legacy Data"), the files might be missing or incomplete. You may need to file an RTI with the Ministry to get the old scanned EC letters.

Bookmark this page. The Earth cannot speak for itself in court; it needs you to download the evidence.