# Environmental Institutions and Clearances for UPSC: NGT, CPCB, CGWA, EIA 2006, PARIVESH, CRZ and Eco-Sensitive Zones Source: https://tracknation.in/story/environmental-institutions-and-clearances-for-upsc-ngt-cpcb-cgwa-eia-2006-parivesh-crz-and-eco-sensitive-zones (TrackNation β€” free UPSC notes with PYQs) > Environmental institutions for UPSC: the National Green Tribunal (2010, benches, composition), the CPCB (1974), the Central Ground Water Authority, the EIA Notifications of 1994 and 2006 and the draft 2020, PARIVESH 2.0, CRZ and Eco-Sensitive Zones (353 notifications covering 496 Protected Areas). Includes practice questions, the real PYQs and exact Mains questions. ## How UPSC Tests Institutions and Clearances 🎯 **Exam priority: Tier-2. UPSC asks who sets up what, under which Act, and how a project gets clearance.** *UPSC asked how the National Green Tribunal differs from the Central Pollution Control Board (2018: the NGT was set up by an Act in 2010 and the CPCB is a statutory body constituted in 1974, so "executive order" is wrong), and which body was constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act (2022: the Central Ground Water Authority). Mains asked how the draft EIA Notification, 2020 differs from 2006 (2020), the role of environmental NGOs in EIA outcomes (2024) and the rehabilitation of human settlements as an environmental impact of major projects (2016).* Keep two boxes: **the bodies** (who regulates and adjudicates) and **the clearance pipeline** (EIA, CRZ, ESZ). ## NGT, CPCB, CGWA and Other Bodies ## The institutions | **Body** | **Origin and role** | | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) | Administers the Water, Air, Environment (Protection), Wild Life, Forest Conservation, Public Liability Insurance and NGT Acts, among others | | Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) | Statutory body constituted on 23 September 1974 as the Central Board for the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution; renamed CPCB by the 1988 amendment (Act 53 of 1988) and given air pollution powers; funded by grant-in-aid from the Ministry | | State Pollution Control Boards | Grant consents and enforce standards in States | | National Green Tribunal (NGT) | Set up on 18 October 2010 under the NGT Act, 2010 for speedy disposal of environment and forest cases; Principal Bench at New Delhi and zonal benches at Pune, Kolkata, Bhopal and Chennai; a Chairperson with 10 to 20 judicial and 10 to 20 expert members; not bound by the Evidence Act, 1872, and applies sustainable development, precaution and polluter pays | | Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) | Constituted under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate groundwater development (2022 PYQ) | | Expert Appraisal Committees (EACs) and State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs) | Appraise Category A (Centre) and Category B (State) projects | In August 2025 two judicial and four expert members were appointed to fill vacancies in the NGT. ## EIA, PARIVESH, CRZ and Eco-Sensitive Zones ## The clearance pipeline - **EIA history:** first applied in 1978 to river valley projects, then to major public sector projects; the **EIA Notification of 27 January 1994** required clearance for 29 categories (later 32); the **2006 Notification** moved to impact-based assessment, more public participation and decentralisation, making clearance mandatory for **39 categories**. - **Who clears:** Category A projects by MoEFCC on the recommendation of EACs; Category B by SEIAAs (State authorities); minor B2 projects are exempt from detailed EIA and public hearings. In 2025 airport expansions with valid clearances and no extra land were treated as B2. - **In numbers:** **502** projects received environmental clearance in 2025; the average Central time was **64 days** against the 105 day limit. - **PARIVESH** (launched 2018 as a single window for environment, forest, wildlife and CRZ clearances) became **PARIVESH 2.0**, with GIS tools, a Know Your Approval module and fully online appraisal and compliance monitoring. - **Draft EIA Notification, 2020 (secondary sources):** proposed post-facto clearance for projects running without approval, a shorter public-hearing notice (30 to 20 days), exemptions from public consultation for some projects such as linear border projects and one annual compliance report instead of six-monthly reports. It drew heavy criticism; the 2006 Notification, as amended, is still the framework the Ministry's Annual Report 2025-26 describes. - **Coastal Regulation Zone (secondary sources):** the CRZ Notification, 2019 divides CRZ-III by population density: densely populated areas (above 2,161 persons per sq km) get a 50 m no-development zone from the high tide line, others 200 m; the Centre clears CRZ-I and IV, States clear CRZ-II and III. - **Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs):** regulate development around Protected Areas. **353 final ESZ notifications covering 496 Protected Areas** have been issued, compared with 23 covering 25 until 2014. ## How UPSC Could Ask This Next - **Origin:** which body is statutory, constitutional or executive and under which Act. - **NGT facts:** benches, composition and principles. - **EIA:** categories A and B, the 1994 and 2006 notifications, the draft 2020. - **CRZ and ESZ:** which authority clears what and what is prohibited. ## Further Reading - NCERT Biology (Class 12) and Geography textbooks, the India State of Forest Report, the MoEFCC Annual Report, the Economic Survey and the official lists cited in this note β€” the primary sources behind every figure above. ## Test Yourself: Practice Questions and PYQs Twelve practice questions on environmental institutions and clearance processes, followed by the real UPSC Prelims questions and exact Mains questions. ## Practice Questions **Q1.** The National Green Tribunal was set up under the - (a) Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 - (b) executive order of the Government - (c) National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 - (d) Water Act, 1974 **Answer: (c)** β€” It was established on 18 October 2010; the CPCB came from the Water Act in 1974. **Q2.** The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal is at New Delhi. Which of the following is NOT a zonal bench? - (a) Pune - (b) Chennai - (c) Hyderabad - (d) Kolkata **Answer: (c)** β€” Zonal Benches are at Pune, Kolkata, Bhopal and Chennai. **Q3.** The National Green Tribunal is not bound by the procedure of which Act, which makes it easier to present evidence? - (a) Code of Criminal Procedure - (b) Indian Penal Code - (c) Indian Evidence Act, 1872 - (d) Arbitration Act **Answer: (c)** β€” It follows principles of natural justice. **Q4.** The Central Pollution Control Board was first constituted in 1974 under the - (a) Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act - (b) Wildlife Protection Act - (c) Environment (Protection) Act - (d) Air Act **Answer: (a)** β€” It was originally the Central Board for the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution. **Q5.** Which of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986? - (a) Central Ground Water Board - (b) National Water Development Agency - (c) Central Water Commission - (d) Central Ground Water Authority **Answer: (d)** β€” Section 3(3) of the Act. **Q6.** The EIA Notification which made environmental clearance mandatory for 39 categories of projects on an impact basis is of the year - (a) 1994 - (b) 1986 - (c) 2020 - (d) 2006 **Answer: (d)** β€” 1994 covered 29 categories (later 32). **Q7.** Category 'B' projects under the EIA Notification, 2006 are appraised by - (a) the Central Pollution Control Board - (b) the Prime Minister's Office - (c) State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities - (d) the Supreme Court **Answer: (c)** β€” Category A goes to MoEFCC. **Q8.** PARIVESH is - (a) a tiger conservation programme - (b) a single-window platform for environment, forest, wildlife and CRZ clearances - (c) an air quality index - (d) a carbon market **Answer: (b)** β€” Launched in 2018; PARIVESH 2.0 is GIS-enabled. **Q9.** Consider the following statements about the draft EIA Notification, 2020: 1. It proposed to allow post-facto clearance. 2. It proposed shortening the public hearing notice period from 30 to 20 days. 3. It proposed more frequent six-monthly compliance reports. Which of the statements given above are correct? - (a) 2 and 3 only - (b) 1 and 3 only - (c) 1, 2 and 3 - (d) 1 and 2 only **Answer: (d)** β€” The draft proposed an annual compliance report, not more frequent ones. **Q10.** Eco-Sensitive Zones are declared around Protected Areas under the - (a) Indian Forest Act, 1927 - (b) Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 - (c) Forest Rights Act, 2006 - (d) Biological Diversity Act, 2002 **Answer: (b)** β€” 353 final ESZ notifications cover 496 Protected Areas. **Q11.** Under the CRZ Notification, 2019 (secondary sources), densely populated rural areas (above 2,161 persons per sq km) are designated CRZ-III A with a no-development zone of - (a) 10 metres - (b) 500 metres - (c) 50 metres from the high tide line - (d) 200 metres **Answer: (c)** β€” Other CRZ-III B areas keep 200 m. **Q12.** How is the NGT different from the CPCB? 1. The NGT was set up by an Act whereas the CPCB was created by an executive order. 2. The NGT provides environmental justice and reduces litigation burden on the higher courts whereas the CPCB works on water and air quality. - (a) Neither 1 nor 2 - (b) 2 only - (c) Both 1 and 2 - (d) 1 only **Answer: (b)** β€” UPSC's 2018 key: the CPCB is statutory, constituted under the Water Act, so statement 1 is wrong. ### UPSC Previous Year Questions (PYQs) *Real UPSC Prelims questions, checked against the official paper and answer key.* **Q1.** (2018) How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)? 1. The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government. 2. The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? - (a) 1 only - (b) Both 1 and 2 - (c) Neither 1 nor 2 - (d) 2 only **Answer: (d)** β€” The NGT was created by an Act in 2010, while the CPCB is a statutory body created in 1974 under the Water Act, so 1 is wrong. 2 is right: the NGT delivers environmental justice and lightens the burden on the higher courts, while the CPCB works on water and air quality. **Q2.** (2022) Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986? - (a) National Water Development Agency - (b) Central Water Commission - (c) Central Ground Water Authority - (d) Central Ground Water Board **Answer: (c)** β€” The Central Ground Water Authority was constituted under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control groundwater development. ### Mains Practice Questions Use these to frame full-length answers. You don't have to answer one exactly β€” they show the angles UPSC tests, so let them guide which points you cover. - How does the draft EIA Notification, 2020 differ from the EIA Notification, 2006? Which changes weaken public participation? - What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing EIA outcomes for major projects in India? Cite examples with details. - Rehabilitation of human settlements is an important environmental and social impact of major projects. Discuss the measures suggested to mitigate it. - Evaluate the National Green Tribunal's contribution to environmental jurisprudence and its limits. - How do ESZ and CRZ regulations seek to balance development and protection? Assess recent changes. ### UPSC Mains β€” Previous Years’ Questions on this topic (last 10 years) These are the **actual GS Mains questions** UPSC has asked on this theme β€” real proof of how, and when, it is tested. Try to write a full answer to each. - 2024 (GS-III): What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details. - 2020 (GS-III): How does the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020 differ from the existing EIA Notification, 2006? - 2016 (GS-III): Rehabilitation of human settlements is one of the important environmental impacts which always attracts controversy while planning major projects. Discuss the measures suggested for mitigation of this impact while proposing major developmental projects.