Guwahati, April 13 -- The Environment Ministry has instructed its central and state-level expert panels to accelerate the processing of outstanding applications for post-facto environmental clearances concerning past legal violations.

However, acting in strict compliance with recent Supreme Court of India directives issued in January and February, these panels cannot grant final approvals.

The directives followed the Supreme Court's order to temporarily stop the implementation of an office memorandum issued by the Environment Ministry in July 2021.

The Apex court issued the stay order according to a plea filed byMumbai-based Vanashakti NGO.

According to The Indian Express, the environment ministry's impact assessment division sent an ...