New Delhi: Two months after the Supreme Court quashed the Union Environment Ministry’s Office Memorandum (OM) of 2021 which permitted projects to avail of retrospective environmental clearances, the Ministry has directed its central and state-level expert bodies to resume processing ‘post-facto’ environmental clearance (EC) proposals, reported Indian Express.On September 30, the Ministry directed all expert appraisal committees, state-level environmental impact assessment authorities and pollution control boards to process such existing proposals with the condition that no fresh proposals should be accepted.The Ministry said that projects which are pending at various stages of environmental clearance or those which were rejected, returned or de-listed owing to the Supreme Court’s interim orders will be taken to a logical conclusion.These proposals were submitted during a post-facto clearance dispensation that was introduced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government, first in 2017, and later continued through a 2021 Office Memorandum (OM).On July 29, while quashing the 2021 OM, the Supreme Court had calling it unconstitutional and a violation of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.The Wire had reported back then that despite quashing the OM, the court upheld clearances afforded to projects till date under the OM, while also saying that the Union government can issue post-facto environmental clearances in some cases – in “larger public interest” – by issuing a statutory notification to this effect – leaving a door open for govt to permit it.The court had also said that the Union government could grant retrospective ECs in future if a specific notification is issued for this under Section 3 of the 1986 Act, which, ironically, gives the government the power to take measures to protect and improve the environment.