With reference to the Supreme Court's 2025 judgment on the Auroville Township Project, consider the following statements: 1. The Supreme Court ruled that the National Green Tribunal can override statutory town planning exercises even if no substantial question of environment under the NGT Act arises. 2. The Court held that the Auroville Master Plan, approved in 2001, was exempt from the 2004 and 2006 EIA Notifications because it was not a new project. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question

Accepted Answer

2 only — Statement 1 is incorrect because the SC ruled that the NGT had exceeded its jurisdiction and cannot interfere with statutory town planning in the absence of a substantial environmental question under Schedule I of the NGT Act. Statement 2 is correct as the SC accepted that the 2001 Master Plan predated the 2004 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) amendment, exempting it from requiring a new clearance.

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