Question

Consider the following statements regarding Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
A) The rules for EIA have been notified under the provisions of the Environment(Protection) Act, 1986.
B) National Biodiversity Authority is the nodal authority to review the EIA application for all new projects.
C) It is mandatory to involve the public while making the environment impact assessment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct

1. Only A
2. A and C
3. B and C
4. A, B, C

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : A and C

The Correct answer is A and C.

• Environmental Impact Assessment is defined as an activity that has been designed to identify, predict and interpret the impact of an action on human health, including the well being of the ecosystem on which the survival of human beings depends.
• Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutorily backed by the Environment Protection Act in 1986, which contains various provisions on EIA methodology and process. Hence the statement A is correct.

EIA covers the following projects-

• Development projects such as mining, thermal power plants, river valley, communication projects, ports and harbours, road, highways, bridges etc and airports.
• Those which are sensitive and located in environmentally degraded areas.
• Those which require the approval of the Public Investment Board / Planning Commission /Central Electricity Authority.
• Other sectors such as irrigation, power, transport, tourism, communications etc.
• It is necessary to involve the public while making the Environment Impact Assessment. The planning reports and the projected environmental impacts are presented to the public. This is done by interacting with the community representatives or with a small group of people at the local level. Hence statement C is correct.

• The environmental clearance process for new projects consists of four stages, some of which may not be required for all projects. These four stages in sequential order are

1. Screening stage: At the screening stage, the State level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) reviews the application to determine whether the project requires further environmental studies for the preparation of an EIA report.
2. Scoping stage: At the scoping stage, detailed and comprehensive Terms of Reference (TOR) addressing all relevant environmental concerns for the preparation of an EIA report are determined. This is carried out by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Category A projects and by the State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) for Category B1 projects. Scoping is not required for B2 projects
3. Public Consultation stage: This stage involves consultation with project-affected persons on the effects of the project. Public consultation is required for all Category A and Category B1 projects, with some exceptions including projects involving the expansion of Roads and Highways which do not involve any further acquisition of land. The concerns heard during the public consultation process must be addressed in the EIA report and in the Environmental Management Plan.
4. Appraisal stage: This stage sees the overall and detailed scrutiny of the final EIA report, which will have been presented to EAC or SEAC. The EAC or SEAC considers the environmental aspects of the project and makes a recommendation to the Regulatory Authority on whether prior EC should be granted or not. Hence the statement B is not correct.