The draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2020 released by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has seen many objections to its clauses and averments for violating several provisions under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. The notification fails to fulfil the precautionary principle, due diligence and norms for fruitful public participation, making it converse to the protection and safeguard of the environment.

1. Environment Impact
Assessment Draft
2020

2. What is Development?

3. • Improvement in country’s economy
• Upgraded social conditions
• Managing resources
• Physical necessities
Development
Source- https://www.sociologydiscussion.com/society/development-meaning-and-concept-of-development/688

4. The Environment Impact Assessment
Notification 2006
• Environmental management by MoEFCC
• Provides a list of projects that must obtain a prior EC
• Projects without EC
• Carrying out an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project
• Creating an Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
• Holding a public hearing in the area in which the project will be constructed
• Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) issues EC
Source- https://idronline.org/the-eia-draft-2020-needs-to-be-
restructured/?gclid=CjwKCAjwmf_4BRABEiwAGhDfSd6DM8TtaiOCbz5U4QQRy7f8EPpBIfVc5oEln3jdIunHn3uHlFhSsRoCy38QAvD_BwE

5. What is EIA?
• Scrutinizes the potential environmental impact of a project
• Looks into the negative externalities of a proposed project before commencement
• Determines whether it can be carried out in the form proposed, or whether it is to be
abandoned or modified
Source- https://www.iasparliament.com/current-affairs/draft-eia-notification-2020

6. Essential Components of EIA
Source- https://www.iasparliament.com/current-affairs/draft-eia-notification-2020

7. How does it
work?
The assessment is carried out by an Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC).
The EAC consists of scientists and project
management experts.
The report is published, and a public
consultation process takes place.
During consultation, objections can be heard
from project-affected people.
The EAC can then make a final appraisal of the
project.
Forwarded to the Ministry of Environment and
Forests (MoEF).
Source- https://www.iasparliament.com/current-affairs/draft-eia-notification-2020

8. • Precautionary principle
• Environmental harm is often irreparable
• It is thus cheaper to avoid damage to the
environment than to remedy it
• Environmental regulation must balance
damage to the environment with sustainable
development
• Industries and business interests have long
regarded EIA as a constraint
What is the idea
behind?
Source- https://www.iasparliament.com/current-affairs/draft-eia-notification-2020

9. What are the concerns with the recent
notification?
• Makes people voiceless by exempting projects like irrigation, widening of national
highways, ropeways, building constructions and so on from public participation.
• Reduces the time allotted to public participation to expedite the process
• Compliance reports twice a year which is now reduced to once a year
• Extends the validity period for approvals in critical sectors such as mining
• Only large projects of the construction industry will be scrutinized fully.
• Defense and national security installations were always exempted
Source- https://www.iasparliament.com/current-affairs/draft-eia-notification-2020

10. How does it affect local communities?
• Published in Hindi and English
• The Delhi High Court did order for translated copies of the draft in other scheduled
languages, which is pending
• Exclusion of local communities
• Public participation is minimized
Source- https://theleaflet.in/draft-eia-notification-2020-whose-interests-does-it-secure/