A division bench of the high court said in the June 30 order that looking at the far reaching consequences of the public consultation process for which the draft notification has been published, “we are of the view that it would be in aid of effective dissemination of the proposed notification if arrangements are made for its translation into other languages as well, at least those mentioned in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution”.

The translation may be undertaken by the Centre itself or with the assistance of the state governments, where applicable, it said.

“Such translations should also be published through the website of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India as well as on websites of environment ministries of all states as well as those of state pollution control boards, within 10 days from today,” the court had said.

The publishing the translated versions within 10 days “would further enable the public to respond to the draft within the period stipulated in this judgment”, it had stated.

The order had come on Tongad” plea seeking extension of the time to respond to the draft EIA 2020 till September or till the COVID-19 pandemic subsists.