New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that any construction activity in the country with a built-up area of over 20,000 square metres will require environment clearance as it struck down major portions of a January 29 central notification exempting green nod for building and construction projects, including schools, colleges and industrial sheds, having built-up area of 20,000 to 1.50 lakh square metres. The said notification was stayed by the top court on February 24 on a petition filed by NGO Vanashakti that was opposed by the Centre and some states alleging that the stay order was passed without hearing them. The order passed on Tuesday came on multiple applications moved by Centre, state of Maharashtra and real estate developers' association claiming that over 700 massive construction projects have been halted due to the stay granted. A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai and justice K Vinod Chandran said, "We are of the considered view that exemption of applicability of the 2006 Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification for industrial sheds, schools, colleges, hostels and educational institutions does not appear to be in tune with the purpose for which Environment Protection Act, 1986 (EPA) has been enacted." The court further reasoned that singling out industrial sheds and educational institutions having built up area of over 20,000 square metres from obtaining environment clearance (EC) prior to construction had no justification as schools, colleges are nowadays a flourishing industry. "If there is any construction activity beyond 20,000 square metres, it will naturally have an effect on the environment. We see no reason to discriminate against other buildings... education is no more service-oriented. After privatisation, it has become a flourishing industry."...