EIA

2020-07-06 18:41:43

through EIA planners try to harmonise dev activities w/ environmental concerns
can prevent future liabilities or expensive alteration in project design
objective is to foresee potential env problems, identify key impacts issues
==started in 1976-77 for river valley projects==

EIA in India

Screening

to see whether a project requires env clearance
based on criteria like scales on investment, type of dev, location of dev

Scoping

process of detailing the terms of reference of EIA
done by a consultant, MoEFCC has published sector-wise guidelines
Quantifiable impacts are assessed and non quantifiable impacts such as aesthetic value determined

Baseline Data

describes existing environmental status
primary data should be monitored and supplemented by secondary ones

Impact Prediction

way to map env consequences, predict all factors and uncertainities that would arise
Impact on air, noise, water, land, biological, socio economic and impact on economic status

Assessment of Alternatives, Delineation of Mitigation Measures and EIA Report

for every project possible alternative be identified and env attributes of it compared to the original project
should also consider the no project options, alternatives should then be ranked
mitigation plant for the selected option supplemented with an Env Management Plan : to manage clearance conditions
EIA report should provide info on various env scenarios w/ and w/o the project

Public Hearing

public be informed and consulted after completion of EIA report
consisting of bonafide local residents, local associations, env groups etc

Environment Management Plan

should include delineation of mitigation and compensation measures, unmitigated impacts
physical planning, time schedule, location etc for mitigation and compensation sys in place
Delineation of mitigation plan

Decision Making

consultation b/w project proponenets and EIA authority
decision on env clearance

Monitoring Clearance Conditions

during both construction and operation phases of a project
to ensure commitments are complied and to observe prediction of EIA were correct or not
corrective action when there is deviation from prediction

Components of EIA

Rapid EIA differs from comprehensive in terms of time scale, done to show if a comprehensive EIA is req or not

Air Env

determinatinon of impact zone, monitor existing status of ambient air quality
monitor site specific meteorological data, estimate quantities of air emission
predict changes in it

Noise Env

monitor present levels and predict future noise levels
identify imapct due to it, recom mitigation measures

Water Env

study of existing ground and surface water resources wrt quantity and quality
predict impact, quantify and characterisation of waste
evaluate proposed pollution prevention, predict impact of effluent discharge, assess feasibility of water recycling

Biological Env

assess flora and fauna, potential damage to both terrestrial and marine flora and fauna
predict biological stress within impact zone, delineate mitigation measure to prevent/ reduce damage

Land Env

studies on soil characterstics, estimate on impact of project on land use, landscape topography
identification on potential utility of treated effluent, estimation and characterisation of solid wastes

Socio-economic and Health Env

collection of demographic, epidemiological data, projection of anticipated changes in socio-economic and health
assess impact on historical and cultural and archaeologica sites
assess rehab requirement w/ special emphasis on scheduled areas

Risk Assessment

Hazard identification, Maximum Credible Accident MCA to id potential hazardous scenarios
Analysis of possible failures and accidents resulting in fires
Hazard and Operability HAZOP studies
Assessment of risk, preparation of o site and off site DM plan

Environment Management Plant

Delineation of mitigation measures, monitoring scheme for compliance
Delineate implementation plan viz scheduling and resource allocation

EIA Notification of 2006 #important #Act

It has decentralised the env cliearance projects by ==classifying them into Categories A and B==
‘Category A’ projects are ==appraised at national level== by Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) and the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
Category B projects are apprised at state level by State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC).
Category A projects ==require mandatory environmental clearance and thus do not undergo the [[#Screening]] process==
Category B projects ==undergoes [[#screening]]== process and they are ==classified into two types B1 and B2==.
B1 requires mandatory environmental clearance. ==B2 do not require EIA==.

Key Element of Initial Project Description and Scoping

for key projects, Initial Project Description IPD to enable project screening and scoping -> this would facilitate reviewers task
IPD should provide - location and land use, details of project, outlining key element of project, offsite and onsite activities

Siting/ Project Location Critera per MoEF

prime agricultural land/forest land may not be converted to industrial site
land acquired be min, space for storing solid waste, layout should conform to landscape of [[3.1 Climate Change and Impact on India#Coastal Regulation Zone 2011 notification - are under EPA 1986|CRZ norms]]] should be followed
project location be reviewed for ambient air, critically polluted ares, natural disaster prone areas etc

Procedure for Public Hearing

coys that want public hearing for clearance of projects should submit to SPCB #important
SPCB gives notice to be published in 2 newspapers along mentioning the date, time and place of public hearing
suggestions from public within 30 days from date of publication of notification, can also make oral/ written suggestion
Public hearing panel could have rep of SPCB, DC, rep of State gov, max 3 reps from local bodies viz Municipalities, panchayats etc

Drawbacks of EIA in India

several projects not listed because they are not listed in Schedule 1 or do not have high enough investmemt
teams formed for conducting EIA lacks expertise, lack of exhaustive ecological and socio-economic indicators for IA
Public hearing not being taken at early stage, no of projects not included in mandatory public hearings, indigenous knowledge of people not respected during EIA
Reports mostly incomplete, ignore or omits significant info, many reports are base only on a single season
reports made for clearance, unbiased review is missing, bending of rules common
documents are bulky, technical, sometimes fraudulently made
No accredition of EIA consultants
EMP for strategic industires viz nuclear are kept confidential, details regarding effectivenes and implementation not provided, emergency preparedness plans not discussed

Recom

Independent, sector wide EIA needed, creation of info desk, creation of centralised baseline data bank
all projects where there is a significant alteration of ecosys should compulsorily go through env clearance, no industrial act in ecologically sensitive area
Public hearing for most projects
Focus shifts from utilisation of exploitation to conservation of ecosys
impact on agribiodiversity, and traditional knowledge should be included
clearly state adverse impact, studies should be carried for at least 1yr
State amd Centre should make list of credible and independent competent agencies along w/ national level accredition
prior informed consent of local communities be made mandatory, language for specifying condition be made clear and specific
executive committee be replace by expert comm
automatic withdrawal of clearance if condition of clearance not met, robust monitoring mechanism estd by state dept
Judicial upheaval of NGT
Capacity building

[[Static - Conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment#PARIVESH |PARIVESH]]

Environment Supplement Plan ESP

undertaken ==by an alleged violator of EIA 2006== act to get clearance for their project
can continue their activity by paying financial penalty

Negatives

attempt to legalise violations, defeats the purpose of EIA
indirectly allows pardoning of violations, escape mechanism for violators