In order to bring more transparency, environment clearances can now be sought online, Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State for Environment and Climate Change, said on Thursday.

“The online service system for TOR (Terms of Reference) and environment clearance proposal is operational from today (Thursday). For 25 days, submissions can be done both online and in the form of hard copies.

“But from July 1, it will be fully online. That is our beginning of transparency. One need not visit the office but can submit their proposals online,” Javadekar said, adding that he had, while taking charge of the ministry, announced that the system would be made online in order to bring more transparency.

The minister was speaking on the sidelines of a function organised to mark World Environment Day.

Javadekar, who also handles the Climate Change portfolio, said India (a developing country) should not be portrayed as a “villain” in the debate on climate change but should instead provide new dimensions to the discourse.

“The world has always provided a vocabulary (on climate change) and we have reacted. We will provide a new vocabulary to which the world will react and we will take the discourse to a new height because we bother about climate change. We will work by keeping energy efficiency as the central theme.”