New Delhi Environment, public hearing rules may be eased

Some relaxation in green norms for coal mining may be on the cards. Keen to step up coal output, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will discuss on Friday options including an easing of environment and forest clearance norms for 13 Coal India projects besides relaxing the Forest Rights Act for the coal miner. The Act seeks to recognise and vest forest rights and occupation in forest-dwelling scheduled tribes and other traditional forest-dwellers living there for generations but whose rights could not be recorded.