The document outlines the key provisions and requirements of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures in India. It discusses how EIA notifications apply to new projects or expansions in certain categories and require identifying and addressing environmental impacts. Projects require an EIA report that assesses the baseline environment, predicts impacts, and provides mitigation plans. The notification also requires public hearings, documents for environmental clearance, and expert committees to review EIA reports.

1. EIA Procedures
Provisions of EIA Notification

2. • 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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3. • 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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4. • 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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5. • 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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6. • 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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7. • Amendments to EIA Notification,
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1994
• The EIA Notification 1994 has been
amended from time to time with a view
to streamline and rationalize the EIA
process.

8. • 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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9. – (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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10. • (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
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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.

11. – (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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12. 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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13. 13
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)

14. • ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES
(LOCATION, TECHNOLOGY,
PHASING/IMPLEMENTATION PLAN)
• ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
PLAN/MITIGATION PLAN.
• ENVIROMENTAL MONITORING
SYSTEMS AND MECHANISMS.
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15. 15
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.

16. 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.

18. 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).

19. SHORTCOMINGS OF
PROJECT DETAILS
1. Alternatives
a. Technologies in industries (including
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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.

20. 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/water
8. Energy conservation.
9. Management
10.Finance
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21. SITE DETAILS REQUIRED
1. 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

22. 6. Ambient air quality.
7. Human settlements and its size.
8. Socio, cultural and economic
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activities at the site and
surroundings.
9. Availability of water and its quality.

23. Questions that should be asked about the
base line data collection
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.
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24. 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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25. 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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26. 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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27. 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
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input/experts.

28. 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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29. 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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30. Environmental Impact
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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

31. (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
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requirements.

32. (d) Sensitivity to changes in the
project input and output
Not 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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33. (f) Changes in crop productivity due to
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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.

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

35. 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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36. (a) Catchments area
treatment: Year wise plan.
(b) Decommissioning plans
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(for mines).

37. Management Plans
• (a) Integrating with project objectives.
• (b) Monitoring systems (Early warning).
• (c) Independent Assessment.
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