EIA Procedures

Provisions of EIA Notification

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• The basic objective of EIA is to identify , predict and evaluate the likely impact and address the same by a comprehensive management plan. Needless to mention this includes risk analysis and disaster management.

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• The Environment Impact assessment notification of January 1994 is the key statutory legislation whereby developmental activities are required to be assessed from the point of view of its associated impacts on the society and environment.

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• EIA Notification applies to new projects or expansion/modernisation of existing units falling under the 32 categories.

• For expansion/modernisation, Notification will apply if pollution load is to exceed the existing levels of pollution.

• Public Hearing of the proposal has been introduced in April, 1997 to elicit views of the affected people/stakeholders.

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• Site clearance to be obtained for site-specific projects like Mining, River Valley Projects, Pit-Head Thermal Power Plants, Ports & Harbours, Mineral Exploration. Green field airports, petrochemical complexes and refineries.

• Decision on Environmental Clearance to be conveyed within 120 days of receipt of complete information.

• Clearance granted is valid for five years for commencement/construction of the project.

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• Environmental clearance subject to time-bound & effective implementation of safeguards & mitigation measures. Project authority must submit half-year compliance status reports.

• Concealing factual data or submission of false, misleading data/reports, etc. could disqualify/rejection.

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• Amendments to EIA Notification, 1994

• The EIA Notification 1994 has been amended from time to time with a view to streamline and rationalize the EIA process.

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• In addition to the introduction of public hearing, the essential aspects of amendments include :– (a) Projects relating to improvement of

highways including widening and strengthening with marginal land acquisition are exempted from the purview of environmental clearance (April, 1997).

– (b) Powers delegated to State Governments for certain category of power projects.(April 1997)

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– (c) Defence related road construction projects in border areas are exempted from the purview of environmental clearance (December, 2000).

– (d) selected irrigation and construction projects.

– (e) Public hearing has been waived off in August 2001in respect of :

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• (i) small scale industrial undertakings located in notified/designated industrial areas/industrial estates/areas earmarked for industries under the jurisdiction of industrial development authorities;

• (ii) Widening and strengthening of highways.

• (iii) Mining projects (major minerals) with lease area up to 25 hectares.

• (iv) Units located in EPZ and SEZ.• (v) Modernisation of existing irrigation

projects and off shore exploration projects.

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– (e) State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees have to complete the Public Hearing process within two months of receipt of complete information. (November 2001)

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DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR OBTAINING ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE

• APPLICATION FORM• QUESTIONNAIRE• EIA & EMP REPORTS• RISK ANALYSIS AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT

PLAN

• PUBLIC HEARING PROCEEDINGS

• NOC FROM M STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD/PCC

• REHABILITATION & RESETTLEMENT PLAN• FEASIBILITY REPORT/DETAILED PROJECT REPORT

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OUTLINE OF EIA REPORT

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• BASE LINE DATA (COVERING THE PROJECT AREA AND THE IMPACT ZONE WITH PHYSICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS)

• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS (POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE LIKELY TO RESULT FROM THE PROJECT - PREDICTION AND EVALUATION)

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• ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES (LOCATION, TECHNOLOGY, PHASING/IMPLEMENTATION PLAN)

• ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN/MITIGATION PLAN.

• ENVIROMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEMS AND MECHANISMS.

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EXPERT COMMITTEES

• INDUSTRY• THERMAL POWER• RIVER VALLEY• MINING• CONSTRUCTION SECTOR• MISCELLANEOUS SECTOR

• THESE COMMITTEES ARE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY WITH EXPERTS DRAWN FROM POLLUTION CONTROL, ECOLOGY, LAND-USE, SOCIAL SCIENCES, ETC.

Components of EIA Reports:1. Details of project.

2. Details of site and its surroundings.

3. Identification of impacts.

4. Prediction.

5. Evaluation.

6. Mitigation measures.

7. Public perception.

8. Management plan.

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Limitations

1. EIA reports are project specific and not based on carrying capacity of the area.

2. ‘No project option’ is not examined.3. The size of the project is mostly determined by(a) Economics of scale in respect of industries (b) Maximum utilization of natural resources

(hydroelectric, irrigation, and mining) (c) The need to provide adequate infrastructure (roads,

pipelines, ports) (d) Constraints in power generation and distribution.

PROJECT DETAILS

INPUTS: Land, minerals, intermediate products,

machineries, technology, water, energy, skilled and unskilled

labour, management, finance.

OUTPUTS: Finished products, by products, wastes (solid, liquid

and gaseous).

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SHORTCOMINGS OF PROJECT DETAILS

1. Alternatives a. Technologies in industries (including

Nuclear /Thermal Power Projects).b. Construction methods in water resources

projects/roads/pipelines/ports.c. Operations in mining process.2. Requirement of transport system in terms of

movement of raw materials and finished products in residential areas parking.

3. Treatment technologies for treatment of effluent.

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5. Alternative methods of disposal of solid wastes including Hazardous waste disposal, registration only with authorised facilities.

6. Rain water Harvesting system.7. Recycling of wastes/water8. Energy conservation.9. Management 10.Finance

SITE DETAILS REQUIRED1. Extent of the area.2. Present land use and its

importance. 3. Flora/fauna at the site and the

surroundings.4. Land characteristics/soil

characteristics (other than biotic).

5. Drainage/ Contour plan

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6. Ambient air quality.7. Human settlements and its size.8. Socio, cultural and economic

activities at the site and surroundings.

9. Availability of water and its quality.

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1. Whether adequate survey of the site has been done. If so for how long, the seasons. Whether the data collected is sufficient. Has the monitoring stations has been set up in such a manner that the data collected is representative.

Questions that should be asked about the base line data collection

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2. Whether the project proponent has assessed the requirement of land in terms of land availability keeping in view the existing and planned land use.

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3. Whether the land requires filling up through borrow areas if so where are the borrow areas? What are its impacts?

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4. If the level of land is to be raised whether it would affect the drainage pattern if so how? Whether any water logging would occur. Does water logging affect (a) agricultural operation (b) ground water quality? (c) Flooding

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5. The type of flora/fauna available at the site and the surrounding whether there are any endangered/endemic species. What are the key species? Specimens of the species that are not known by the investigator have to

be identified by use of field guides, preserved specimens, professional

input/experts.

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5. What natural habitats are present? What is the present disturbance level? Any special relationship/inter-dependence. What are the relative/absolute numbers of organism?

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6 If the socio-economic data is obtained from secondary data, whether sample survey has been done to update the data. Whether sample survey meets the statistical validity.

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Environmental Impact Assessment

(i) Shortfalls in identification.

The reports do not distinguish between

(a) Direct and indirect.

(b) Short term and long term.

(c) Reversible and Irreversible.

(d) Construction and operation phase impacts and

(e) Uncertainties

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(ii) Short Falls in Prediction

(a)  Use of inappropriate models for air pollution prediction.

(b)  Failure to predict Air/Noise pollution due to road transport.(c)   Failure to recognise the 

future developmental plan in the area with respect to land use, water, energy, and transport 

requirements.

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(d) Sensitivity  to  changes  in  the project  input  and  outputNot  taking  into  account ground  water  quality/levels, drainage,  climatic  conditions and  rainfall.    Assessing  the impact  due  to  disposal  of treated/untreated/partially treated effluent on land.

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          (f) Changes in crop productivity due to 

effluent discharge(g) Change in the ecology(h) Impact on the Avian and micro fauna  due to lights (industrial/ power units) migratory animals (due to noise).

(i)  Uncertainties. 

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Mitigation Methods

(a) Feasibility of pollution control measures (e.g. Interlocking, incinerator, land disposal of effluent).

(b) Availability of nurseries for raising  plantation/green belt.

(c) Possibilities of ex situ conservation methods.

(d) Do not have a disaster management plan, which identifies a worst-case scenario (domino effect) 

based on risk analysis.

(e) Reclamation of solid waste disposal sites, quarry, mines, over burden, borrow lands (How?).

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Rehabilitation of native people

Place where they have to be rehabilitated whether there is adequate land. If the land is available is it suitable for agriculture. If not what steps are being taken to remedy the situation. Are the culturally same community will be located in one area. If the facilities are created who is going to maintain, how and what are the sources of funds.

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(a) Catchments area treatment: Year wise plan.(b) Decommissioning plans

(for mines).

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Management Plans

• (a) Integrating with project objectives.

• (b) Monitoring systems (Early warning).

• (c) Independent Assessment.