To The Point

EIA involves the steps mentioned below. However, the EIA process is cyclical with interaction between the various steps.

• Screening: The project plan is screened for scale of investment, location and type of development and if the project needs statutory clearance.
• Scoping: The project’s potential impacts, zone of impacts, mitigation possibilities and need for monitoring.
• Collection of baseline data: Baseline data is the environmental status of study area.
• Impact prediction: Positive and negative, reversible and irreversible and temporary and permanent impacts need to be predicted which presupposes a good understanding of the project by the assessment agency.
• Mitigation measures and EIA report: The EIA report should include the actions and steps for preventing, minimizing or by passing the impacts or else the level of compensation for probable environmental damage or loss.
• Public hearing: On completion of the EIA report, public and environmental groups living close to project site may be informed and consulted.
• Decision making: Impact Assessment Authority along with the experts consult the project-in-charge along with consultant to take the final decision, keeping in mind EIA and EMP (Environment Management Plan).
• Monitoring and implementation of environmental management plan: The various phases of implementation of the project are monitored.
• Assessment of Alternatives, Delineation of Mitigation Measures and Environmental Impact Assessment Report: For every project, possible alternatives should be identified, and environmental attributes compared. Alternatives should cover both project location and process technologies.
  
  • Once alternatives have been reviewed, a mitigation plan should be drawn up for the selected option and is supplemented with an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to guide the proponent towards environmental improvements.

  

  Stakeholders in the EIA Process

  • Those who propose the project
  • The environmental consultant who prepare EIA on behalf of project proponent
  • Pollution Control Board (State or National)
  • Public has the right to express their opinion
  • The Impact Assessment Agency
  • Regional centre of the MoEFCC

  Salient Features of 2006 Amendments to EIA Notification

  • Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 has decentralized the environmental clearance projects by categorizing the developmental projects in two categories, i.e., Category A (national level appraisal) and Category B (state level appraisal).
    
    • Category A projects are appraised at national level by Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) and the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) and Category B projects are apprised at state level.
    • State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) are constituted to provide clearance to Category B process.
    • Screening
    • Scoping
    • Public hearing
    • Appraisal
    • Category B1 projects (Mandatorily requires EIA).
    • Category B2 projects (Do not require EIA).

    Importance of EIA

    • EIA links environment with development for environmentally safe and sustainable development.
    • EIA provides a cost effective method to eliminate or minimize the adverse impact of developmental projects.
    • EIA enables the decision makers to analyse the effect of developmental activities on the environment well before the developmental project is implemented.
    • EIA encourages the adaptation of mitigation strategies in the developmental plan.
    • EIA makes sure that the developmental plan is environmentally sound and within the limits of the capacity of assimilation and regeneration of the ecosystem.

    Shortcomings of EIA Process

    • Applicability: There are several projects with significant environmental impacts that are exempted from the notification either because they are not listed in schedule I, or their investments are less than what is provided for in the notification.
    • Composition of expert committees and standards: It has been found that the team formed for conducting EIA studies is lacking the expertise in various fields such as environmentalists, wildlife experts, Anthropologists and Social Scientists.
    • Public hearing:
      
      • Public comments are not considered at an early stage, which often leads to conflict at a later stage of project clearance.
      • A number of projects with significant environmental and social impacts have been excluded from the mandatory public hearing process.
      • The data collectors do not pay respect to the indigenous knowledge of local people.
      • Details regarding the effectiveness and implementation of mitigation measures are often not provided.
      • Emergency preparedness plans are not discussed in sufficient details and the information not disseminated to the communities.

      Way Forward

      • Independent EIA Authority.
        
        • Sector wide EIAs needed.
        • Creation of a centralized baseline data bank.
        • The EIA notification needs to build within it an automatic withdrawal of clearance if the conditions of clearance are being violated and introduce more stringent punishment for noncompliance. At present the EIA notification limits itself to the stage when environmental clearance is granted.
        • The composition of the NGT needs to be changed to include more judicial persons from the field of environment.
        • Citizen should be able to access the authority for redressal of all violation of the EIA notification as well as issues relating to non-compliance.