Most chief ministers, too, echoed these sentiments. Builders argued that this was needless when local authorities were already assessing them on fire, power, water, sanitary, and pollution standards. NGOs claimed that the amendment process was biased as the Ministry didn’t consult “stakeholders” and civil society groups. Even the Ministry is likely to record its objections to the scrapping of public hearings as it brings the new rules into effect.

Several MPs, including Mani Shankar Aiyer, have written to the Ministry criticizing the fact that the Ministry has only spoken to the industry groups. “This is not true. We had consultations for over more than a year before the draft was finalized last September. The industry had sent a detailed set of objections which required further discussion with them,’’ said Prodipto Ghosh, Secretary, MoEF.