The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- India's Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) approved about 93% of the 107 development and infrastructure projects placed before it at its latest meeting in Coimbatore on July 9, with none rejected outright.
- This continues a decade-long pattern, with data since 2016 showing 96.5% of considered projects cleared, including in tiger reserves and corridors such as BRT, Palamau, Ranthambore and Melghat.
- The high approval rate has drawn criticism from conservationists, ten of whom filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, which pulled up the Centre on July 8 and sought a government response within four weeks.
- An environment ministry official defended the committee, saying approvals follow the Wildlife Act and that proposal numbers have risen with infrastructure growth.
What to watch next
- The Centre's response to the Delhi High Court, due within four weeks of the July 8 hearing.
- Outcomes of the deferred, returned and held-in-abeyance proposals, including two pending Supreme Court clearance.
- Whether future SC-NBWL meetings maintain the high approval trend of the past decade.
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Named India · Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Tiger Reserve · Buxa · Delhi High Court · Melghat · Mukundara · Palamau Tiger Reserve · Pilibhit · Ranthambore · Sanjay Gandhi National Park · Srivilliputhur Megamala · Union Environment Minister · Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya
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