This document discusses environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and public participation in India. It provides an overview of EIAs, the legal framework for EIAs in India, the EIA process, concerns with the current process, and an initiative called Community Led EIA (CLEIA) being conducted by PAC to enhance public participation. The EIA process in India involves screening projects, scoping assessments, impact predictions, public hearings, environmental management plans, appraisal, and post-approval monitoring. However, there are gaps like some projects not requiring hearings, lack of penalties for non-compliance, and dilution of oversight at the state level. CLEIA aims to empower local communities to participate more meaningfully in EIAs

1. Environmental Impact
Assessment and meaningful
citizen participation
From an ongoing work of PAC
Mrs. Prarthana Rao
Programme Officer,
Public Affairs Centre, Bangalore

2. Outline of the presentation
 Introduction to EIA
 Environmental Legislations in India
 Process of EIA
 Public participation in EIA
 Concerns/gaps
 CLEIA – An initiative of PAC
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3. Introduction to EIA
 EIA is a formal process used to predict the
environmental consequences of any
development project.
 EIA is a relatively new planning and
decision making tool in India
 Helps in identifying, environmental, social
and economic impacts of a project prior to
decision making
 Aids the process of selection of “optimal”
alternative - maximise beneficial effects &
mitigates adverse effects on environment
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4. Environmental legislations in
India
 Concern for Environment – 1972 – UN
conference on human environment at
Stockholm
 Tiwari committee – Department of
Environment and Forest in 1980 (environmental
impact studies and administrative responsibility for pollution
monitoring and control)
 Umbrella Legislation – Environment
Protection Act in 1986 gave statutory backing
for MoEF
 EPA enactment – one of the outcomes was
EIA becoming statutory – first notification in
1994; latest notification in 2006
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5. EIA process in India
 Screening
 Scoping
 Impact prediction & Assessment of
alternatives
 PUBLIC HEARING
 Environmental Management Plan
 Appraisal
 Monitoring the clearance conditions
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6. Screening
 The notification categorizes projects into
two categories, A and B based on the
spatial extent of the impacts, effects on
human health and the effects on the
environment.
 Category A projects are looked into by the
Central Government and Category B
Projects go to the State Government.
 Category B projects are further sub divided
into Category B1 and Category B2, the
former which do require an EIA and public
consultation and the latter which don‟t
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7. Scoping
 Process of determining detailed and
comprehensive Terms of Reference (ToR)
for an Environment Impact Assessment
(EIA) Report
 ToR to be conveyed within 60 days from
receipt of Form 1by the appraisal committee
else the ToR proposed by the proponent
deemed fit
 ToR to be made public on website of the
MoEF
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8. Public Consultation
 Process by which the concerns of local
affected persons and others who have
plausible stake in the environmental
impacts of the project or activity are given
an opportunity to raise concerns
 All Category „A‟ and Category B1 projects or
activities shall undertake Public
Consultation,
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9. Public consultation
 Two components comprising of:-
◦ A public hearing at the site or in its close
proximity- district wise for ascertaining
concerns of local affected persons; - the
State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)
◦ Obtain responses in writing from other
concerned persons by posting on website
within 7 days of receiving application
(summary report will be posted)
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10. Public consultation
Application (Exec SPCB gives Public
summary & other hearing notice in Participation by all
docs – 20 sets in atleast 2 leading concerned
English and Local news paper of which stakeholders
language) to SPCB 1 in local language
Completion of Public Response by
hearing within 60 stakeholders within
days 30 days
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11. Benefits of the EIA Process
 Potentially screens out environmentally-
unsound projects
 Proposes modified designs to reduce
environmental impacts
 Identifies feasible alternatives
 Predicts significant adverse impacts
 Identifies mitigation measures to reduce,
offset, or eliminate major impacts
 Engages and informs potentially affected
communities and individuals
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12. Gaps ……
 The legislation prioritizes the needs of
the industry over the environment.
 Categorization of projects results in
diluting the responsibility of the
Central Government – May result in
timely clearances but room for misuse
of powers at the State level
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13. Gaps …..
 Construction activities and SEZ‟s do
not require a public hearing before
going ahead with the project.
 Activities like tourism, which has a
severe impact on the environment,
does not require a clearance
 Allows only “CONCERNED” people to
be part of the public consultation …….
Big blow
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14. Gaps….
 Often timelines and procedures laid in
the notification are not adhered to
 Misuse of clause which allows the
cancellation of a public hearing if the
local conditions are not conducive for
hearing the views of the people.
 NO penalties on proponents for
violating the terms and conditions of
the clearance
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15. Community Led EIA (CLEIA)
– A PAC initiative
 To identify key areas to
introduce/enhance public participation in
the EIA paradigm
 To develop a toolkit that facilitates
citizen participation at all stages of the
EIA procedure
 To empower the local communities to
engage with stakeholders in participatory
environmental governance
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16. THANK YOU
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