IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to identify the environmental,
social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making.
● Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely
environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account
inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and
adverse.
○ Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutorily backed by the
Environment Protection Act, 1986 which contains various provisions on
EIA methodology and process.
○ Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important management tool for
ensuring optimal use of natural resources for sustainable development.
○ It covers developmental sectors such as industries, thermal power projects,
mining schemes etc.
Aim of EIA
It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design,
find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment
and present the predictions and options to decision-makers.
EIA systematically examines both beneficial and adverse consequences of the project and
ensures that these effects are taken into account during project design.
It helps to identify possible environmental effects of the proposed project, proposes measures
to mitigate adverse effects and predicts whether there will be significant adverse
environmental effects, even after the mitigation is implemented.
,By considering the environmental effects of the project and their mitigation early in the
project planning cycle, environmental assessment has many benefits, such as protection of
environment, optimum utilisation of resources and saving of time and cost of the project.
Properly conducted EIA also lessens conflicts by promoting community participation,
informing decision makers, and helping lay the base for environmentally sound projects.
Benefits of integrating EIA have been observed in all stages of a project, from exploration
and planning, through construction, operations, decommissioning, and beyond site closure.
Background
● The EIA process finds its origin from United States where due to huge public
pressure; the government enacted National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in
1970s.
● The role of EIA process was formally recognized at the Earth Summit in Rio
Conference in 1992.
● The Rio declaration stated that EIA shall be taken as national instrument for proposed
projects which might adversely impact the environment.
● The Indian experience with Environmental Impact Assessment began over 20 years
back. It started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission asked the Department of
Science and Technology to examine the river-valley projects from an environmental
angle. This was subsequently extended to cover those projects, which required the
approval of the Public Student Notes: Investment Board.
● Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government was an
administrative decision and lacked legislative support.
● On 27 January 1994, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF),
Government of India, under the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an
EIA notification making Environmental Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or
modernisation of any activity or for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the
, notification. Since then there have been 12 amendments made in the EIA notification
of 1994.
Applicability in India
EIA was first introduced in 1978 with regard to the various river valley projects all over the
country and later expanded to include various other developmental procedures in its scope.
EIA is now mandatory for over 30 classes of projects.
The Environmental Protection Rules, 1986 warrant for the imposition of certain restrictions
on the construction/ expansion/ modernization of specific projects without prior approval
from the Central, State, or Union Territory level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority
(EIAA) constituted under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Categorisation of projects
● The rules categorize the projects into two categories- A and B on the basis of the
magnitude of their scale and impact on the natural and artificial resources. The
projects belonging to Category A require approval from the Ministry of Environment
and Forests on behalf of the Central Government, on the advice of an Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC), constituted by the Central Government for this specific
purpose; eg. Construction or Expansion of Ports, harbours, airports, nuclear power,
and related projects, Primary metallurgical industries (iron, steel, copper, etc),
individual projects, etc.
● Projects and Activities falling under Category B require the approval of a State EIAA,
based on the advice of a State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), constituted under
the said notification.
EIA Notification, 2006
Objectives: The objectives of EIA Notification, 2006 inter alia include:
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to identify the environmental,
social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making.
● Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely
environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account
inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and
adverse.
○ Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutorily backed by the
Environment Protection Act, 1986 which contains various provisions on
EIA methodology and process.
○ Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important management tool for
ensuring optimal use of natural resources for sustainable development.
○ It covers developmental sectors such as industries, thermal power projects,
mining schemes etc.
Aim of EIA
It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design,
find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment
and present the predictions and options to decision-makers.
EIA systematically examines both beneficial and adverse consequences of the project and
ensures that these effects are taken into account during project design.
It helps to identify possible environmental effects of the proposed project, proposes measures
to mitigate adverse effects and predicts whether there will be significant adverse
environmental effects, even after the mitigation is implemented.
,By considering the environmental effects of the project and their mitigation early in the
project planning cycle, environmental assessment has many benefits, such as protection of
environment, optimum utilisation of resources and saving of time and cost of the project.
Properly conducted EIA also lessens conflicts by promoting community participation,
informing decision makers, and helping lay the base for environmentally sound projects.
Benefits of integrating EIA have been observed in all stages of a project, from exploration
and planning, through construction, operations, decommissioning, and beyond site closure.
Background
● The EIA process finds its origin from United States where due to huge public
pressure; the government enacted National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in
1970s.
● The role of EIA process was formally recognized at the Earth Summit in Rio
Conference in 1992.
● The Rio declaration stated that EIA shall be taken as national instrument for proposed
projects which might adversely impact the environment.
● The Indian experience with Environmental Impact Assessment began over 20 years
back. It started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission asked the Department of
Science and Technology to examine the river-valley projects from an environmental
angle. This was subsequently extended to cover those projects, which required the
approval of the Public Student Notes: Investment Board.
● Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government was an
administrative decision and lacked legislative support.
● On 27 January 1994, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF),
Government of India, under the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an
EIA notification making Environmental Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or
modernisation of any activity or for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the
, notification. Since then there have been 12 amendments made in the EIA notification
of 1994.
Applicability in India
EIA was first introduced in 1978 with regard to the various river valley projects all over the
country and later expanded to include various other developmental procedures in its scope.
EIA is now mandatory for over 30 classes of projects.
The Environmental Protection Rules, 1986 warrant for the imposition of certain restrictions
on the construction/ expansion/ modernization of specific projects without prior approval
from the Central, State, or Union Territory level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority
(EIAA) constituted under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Categorisation of projects
● The rules categorize the projects into two categories- A and B on the basis of the
magnitude of their scale and impact on the natural and artificial resources. The
projects belonging to Category A require approval from the Ministry of Environment
and Forests on behalf of the Central Government, on the advice of an Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC), constituted by the Central Government for this specific
purpose; eg. Construction or Expansion of Ports, harbours, airports, nuclear power,
and related projects, Primary metallurgical industries (iron, steel, copper, etc),
individual projects, etc.
● Projects and Activities falling under Category B require the approval of a State EIAA,
based on the advice of a State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), constituted under
the said notification.
EIA Notification, 2006
Objectives: The objectives of EIA Notification, 2006 inter alia include:
