With reference to the Environmental Damage Cost Assessment (EDCA) draft released by the CPCB in 2025, consider the following statements: 1. It was formulated in response to directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to eliminate subjectivity in environmental compensation. 2. The proposed fixed penalty costs for environmental contraventions range from INR 10,000 to a maximum of INR 15,00,000. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 2 — Statement 1 is correct as the EDCA was drafted following the NGT's order in the Jammula Choudharaiah case for a uniform compensation mechanism. Statement 2 is also correct; the draft proposes fixed penalty costs ranging from a minimum of INR 10,000 to a maximum of INR 15,00,000 per contravention based on the violator's pollution potential and scale.

CPCB Proposes Environmental Damage Cost Assessment Methodology

ADB Forecasts India's GDP Growth at 6.5% for FY2026