The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought reply from the Centre in connection with the appointment of an environmental regulator for green clearances, despite the directions issued by it in 2011.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted that all environmental clearances have become farce in the absence of an independent oversight. Bhushan pointed out that in 2011, (in the Lafarge mining case), the top court had directed the setting up of a national environment regulator, which could ensure an independent oversight on green clearances given for various projects.