Assam’s New Institutional Framework Aims to Speed Up Project Clearances

Guwahati, 7 October — To address delays in granting environmental approvals, Assam's administration has instituted two new statutory committees: the State Level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority and the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee. Their creation follows a Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change notice dated 6 October.

Each committee will serve a four‑year term, with its tenure beginning on the publication date of the central government’s Gazette notification.

The Authority, chaired by retired Public Works Department Secretary Shyamant Bejbaruah, includes former Guwahati University Botany professor Dr. Sosindra Kumar Borah as a member. The Secretary of the State Environment, Forests and Climate Change Department will function as the Member Secretary.

The Expert Appraisal Committee will be overseen by retired IFS officer Jatinder Sharma, former Chief Conservator of Forests and ex‑field director of Kaziranga National Park. Its roster features Prof. Parthankar Chaudhary (Assam University, Silchar), Dr. Rahul Mahanta (Cotton University), Dr. Arup Barpuzari (environmental scientist), Dr. Arup Kumar Sharma (IIT Guwahati), Dr. Bhagwat Pran Dubara (Guwahati University) and Dr. Narayan Sharma (Cotton University). The Assam Pollution Control Board Secretary will serve as the Committee’s Member Secretary.

Both bodies are located on the third floor of the Assam Pollution Control Board building in Bamunimaidam, Guwahati. The Board will provide secretariat services, along with financial, logistical and staffing support. The state will also offer necessary accommodation, transport and other facilities, and the remuneration for members will be governed by existing Assam government rules.