OBJECTIVES:

To understand environmental
clearance, its legal requirements
and to provide knowledge on
overall methodology of EIA,
prediction tools and models,
environmental management plan
and case studies
OCE434
Dr.R.Jayasankar,ME.,Ph.D,

ENVIRONMENTAL DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE.

IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
 UNIT I
INTRODUCTION

• Historical development of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

• Environmental Clearance EIA in project cycle.

• legal and regulatory aspects in India

• types and limitations of EIA –EIA process- screening – scoping - terms of

reference in EIA- setting – analysis – mitigation.

• Cross sectoral issues –public hearing in EIA

• EIA consultant accreditation.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 1

 CONTENTS

1.1 Definition of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 3

1.2 Scope of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 3
1.3 Historical development of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 3
1.4 Environmental Clearance (EC) 4
1.4.1 Application for Prior Environmental Clearance (EC) 4
1.5 Types of EIA 5
1.6 Limitations of EIA Process 5
1.7 Legal and regulatory aspects in India 5
1.8 EIA process 6
1.8.1 The main steps in the EIA process 6
1.8.2 Resources 7
1.8.3 Screening 9
1.8.4 Scoping 9
1.8.5 Prediction and mitigation 10
1.8.6 Management and monitoring 10
1.8.7 Auditing 11
1.9 Public participation 11
1.9.1 Managing uncertainty 12
1.10 cross-sectoral issues 12
1.10.1 Biological Diversity 12
1.11 TOR (Terms Of Referance) 13
1.11.1 The common format or generic structure essentially comprises of 11 13
sections
1.11.2 Description of the Environment 14
1.12 Public Hearing in ElA. 14
1.12.1 EIA Consultant Accreditation 16
1.12.2 Benefits of accreditation to EIA Consultant Organization 16

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 2

1.1 Definition of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

• EIA is recognized as a planning tool used to predict the likely environmental impacts of a
proposed activity such as a project, plan, program or legislative action so that they can be
addressed at an appropriate stage in the design or formulation before further decisions are
taken on the activity or action.

• The EIA involves a systematic process for identifying, predicting and evaluating potential
effects or impacts associated with a new development project, plan, program or legislative
action. The EIA process is the various stages a proposed activity undergoes from proposal to
approval for implementation.

1.2 Scope of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

• EIA is a management tool.

• It provides information upon which decisions may be taken.
• It must involve the participation of various groups or stakeholders, such as project
proponent or developer, investor, regulators, planners, local communities, non-
governmental organizations, and politicians who will make decisions about a proposed
major activity.

1.3 Historical development of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

• As early as 1969, U.S enacted the National environmental policy Act

• Since , like either advanced countries , it faced major environmental problems due to
improperly planned industrialization .

Year Act

1970 Passage of NEPA (last day of 1969)

1971- Expansion of NEPA-style legislation into 23 U.S. states

1976

Environmental Design Research Association meet in Milwaukee,

Wisconsin-first professional meeting on EIA

1980 Environmental Impact Assessment Review - first issue

1982 1st International Social Impact Assessment Conference in

Vancouver, B.C.

1990 International Association for Impact Assessment holds tenth

annual meeting

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 3

 • The Indian experience with Environmental Impact Assessment began over 20 years back.

• It started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission asked the Department of Science and
Technology to examine the river-valley projects from an environmental angle.

• Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government was an administrative
decision and lacked legislative support.

• On 27 January 1994, the then Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, under the
Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an EIA notification making Environmental
Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or modernization of any activity or for setting up
new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the notification.

• The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified new EIA
legislation in September2006.

• The notification makes it mandatory for various projects such as mining, thermal power
plants, river valley, infrastructure (road, highway, ports, harbours and airports) and
industries including very small electroplating or foundry units to get environment clearance.

• However, unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new legislation has put the onus of
clearing projects on the state government depending on the size/capacity of the project.

1.4 Environmental Clearance (EC)

• The following projects or activities shall require prior environmental clearance from the
concerned regulatory authority, in India which shall referred to be as the Central
Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forests for matters falling under Category
‘A’ in the Schedule .
• State level the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for matters falling
under Category ‘B’ in the said Schedule, before any construction work, or preparation of
land by the project management except for securing the land, is started on the project or
activity.
• All new projects or activities listed in the Schedule to this notification
• Expansion and modernization of existing projects or activities listed in the Schedule to this
notification with addition of capacity beyond the limits specified for the concerned sector,
that is, projects or activities which cross the threshold limits given in the Schedule, after
expansion or modernization;
• Any change in product - mix in an existing manufacturing unit included in Schedule beyond
the specified range.
• All projects and activities are broadly categorized in to two categories - Category A and
Category B, based on the spatial extent of potential impacts and potential impacts on human
health and natural and man made resources.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 4

 1.4.1 Application for Prior Environmental Clearance (EC):-

• An application seeking prior environmental clearance in all cases shall be made in the
prescribed Form 1 annexed herewith and Supplementary Form 1A, if applicable, as given in
Appendix II, after the identification of prospective site(s) for the project and/or activitie s to
which the application relates, before commencing any construction activity, or preparation
of land, at the site by the applicant.
• The applicant shall furnish, along with the application, a copy of the pre -feasibility project
report except that, in case of construction projects or activities in addition to Form 1 and the
Supplementary Form 1A, a copy of the conceptual plan shall be provided, instead of the pre -
feasibility report.

1.5 Types of EIA

• State of the Environment (SOE)

• Integrated Environmental Assessment and reporting (IEA)
• Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
• Corporate environmental assessment and reporting.
• Strategic environmental assessment (SEA)
• Regional Environmental Impact Assessment
• Sectoral Environmental Impact Assessment
• Project Level Environmental Impact Assessment

1.6 Limitations of EIA Process

• Applicability
• Composition of Expert Committees and Standards
• Public Hearing
• Lack of Credibility
• the appropriate use of screening criteria to determine if EIAs are needed
• quality control of the data and data gaps
• lack of harmonized procedures for involving the public
• focus on site boundaries
• trans-boundary problems involving more than one member state
• lack of coordination between EIA and other directives.

1.7 LEGAL AND REGULATORY ASPECTS IN INDIA

Present Status of EIA in India

• In India, EIAs of development projects were first started in 1977-78 when the Department of
Science and Technology took up environmental appraisal of river valley projects.
• Subsequently, various other projects were brought under the purview of EIA.
• It was, however, in 1994 when EIA was made mandatory in India under the Environmental
Protection Act of 1986.
• The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India, has prepared
environmental guidelines, to help the project proponents to work out an EIA.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 5

 • Guidelines have been prepared to bring out specific information on the environment
required for environmental clearance.
• The agencies, which are primarily responsible for the respective sectors are closely involved
in preparing the guidelines.
• River valley projects, thermal power projects, mining projects and industries, ports and
harbours, development of beaches, highway/railway projects are the sectors for which
guidelines have already been prepared.
• These guidelines basically consist of aspects regarding planning and implementation of
development projects.
• Projects where EIA is mandatory and requires clearance from central government as of now,
EIA clearance is required for 30 categories of industries.

1.8 EIA process

• The EIA process makes sure that environmental issues are raised when a project or plan is
first discussed and that all concerns are addressed as a project gains momentum through to
implementation.
• Recommendations made by the EIA may necessitate the redesign of some project
components, require further studies, suggest changes which alter the economic viability of
the project or cause a delay in project implementation.
• To be of most benefit it is essential that an environmental assessment is carried out to
determine significant impacts early in the project cycle so that recommendations can be
built into the design and cost-benefit analysis without causing major delays or increased
design costs.
• To be effective once implementation has commenced, the EIA should lead to a mechanism
whereby adequate monitoring is undertaken to realize environmental management.
• An important output from the EIA process should be the delineation of enabling
mechanisms for such effective management.
• The way in which an EIA is carried out is not rigid: it is a process comprising a series of steps.
• These steps are outlined below and the techniques more commonly used in EIA are
described in some detail in the section Techniques.
1.8.1 The main steps in the EIA process are:

• screening
• scoping
• prediction and mitigation
• management and monitoring
• audit

• Figure 1 shows a general flow diagram of the EIA process, how it fits in with parallel
technical and economic studies and the role of public participation.
• In some cases, such as small-scale irrigation schemes, the transition from
identification through to detailed design may be rapid and some steps in the EIA
procedure may be omitted.
• Screening often results in a categorization of the project and from this a decision is
made on whether or not a full EIA is to be carried out.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 6

 • Scoping is the process of determining which are the most critical issues to study and
will involve community participation to some degree. It is at this early stage that EIA
can most strongly influence the outline proposal.
• Detailed prediction and mitigation studies follow scoping and are carried out in
parallel with feasibility studies.
• The main output report is called an Environmental Impact Statement, and contains a
detailed plan for managing and monitoring environmental impacts both during and
after implementation.
• Finally, an audit of the EIA process is carried out some time after implementation.
The audit serves a useful feedback and learning function.

1.8.2 Resources

• An EIA team for an irrigation and drainage study is likely to be composed of some or all of
the following: a team leader; a hydrologist; an irrigation/drainage engineer; a fisheries
biologist/ecologist; an agronomist/pesticide expert; a soil conservation expert; a
biological/environmental scientist; an economist, a social scientist and a health scientist
(preferably a epidemiologist).
• The final structure of the team will vary depending on the project. Specialists may also be
required for fieldwork, laboratory testing, library research, data processing, surveys and
modelling.
• The team leader will require significant management skill to co-ordinate the work of a te am
with diverse skills and knowledge.
• There will be a large number of people involved in EIA apart from the full-time team
members. These people will be based in a wide range of organizations, such as the project
proposing and authorizing bodies, regulatory authorities and various interest groups.
• Such personnel would be located in various agencies and also in the private sector; a
considerable number will need specific EIA training.
• The length of the EIA will obviously depend on the programme, plan or project under
review. However, the process usually lasts from between 6 and 18 months from preparation
through to review.
• It will normally be approximately the same length as the feasibility study of which it should
form an integral part.
• It is essential that the EIA team and the team carrying out the feasibility study work together
and not in isolation from each other.
• This often provides the only opportunity for design changes to be made and mitigation
measures to be incorporated in the project design.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 7

FIGURE 1 Flow diagram of the EIA process and parallel studies

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 8

1.8.3 Screening

• Screening is the process of deciding on whether an EIA is required. This may be

determined by size (eg greater than a predetermined surface area of irrigated land that
would be affected, more than a certain percentage or flow to be diverted or more than
a certain capital expenditure).
• Alternatively it may be based on site-specific information. For example, the repair of
a recently destroyed diversion structure is unlikely to require an EIA whilst a major
new headwork structure may.
• Guidelines for whether or not an EIA is required will be country specific depending
on the laws or norms in operation.
• Legislation often specifies the criteria for screening and full EIA. All major donors
screen projects presented for financing to decide whether an EIA is required.
• The output from the screening process is often a document called an Initial
Environmental Examination or Evaluation (IEE).
• The main conclusion will be a classification of the project according to its likely
environmental sensitivity.
• This will determine whether an EIA is needed and if so to what detail.

1.8.4 Scoping

• Scoping occurs early in the project cycle at the same time as outline planning and pre-
feasibility studies. Scoping is the process of identifying the key environmental issues
and is perhaps the most important step in an EIA.
• Several groups, particularly decision makers, the local population and the scientific
community, have an interest in helping to deliberate the issues which should be
considered, and scoping is designed to canvass their views.
• Scoping is important for two reasons. First, so that problems can be pinpointed early
allowing mitigating design changes to be made before expensive detailed work is
carried out.
• Second, to ensure that detailed prediction work is only carried out for important
issues.
• It is not the purpose of an EIA to carry out exhaustive studies on all environmental
impacts for all projects.
• If key issues are identified and a full scale EIA considered necessary then the scoping
should include terms of reference for these further studies.
• At this stage the option exists for cancelling or drastically revising the project should
major environmental problems be identified. Equally it may be the end of the EIA
process should the impacts be found to be insignificant.
• Once this stage has passed, the opportunity for major changes to the project is
restricted.
• A major activity of scoping is to identify key interest groups, both governmental and
non-governmental, and to establish good lines of communication.
• People who are affected by the project need to hear about it as soon as possible. Their
knowledge and perspectives may have a major bearing on the focus of the EIA.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 9

 • Rapid rural appraisal techniques provide a means of assessing the needs and views of
the affected population.
• The main EIA techniques used in scoping are baseline studies, checklists, matrices
and network diagrams.
• These techniques collect and present knowledge and information in a straightforward
way so that logical decisions can be made about which impacts are most significant.

1.8.5 Prediction and mitigation

• Once the scoping exercise is complete and the major impacts to be studied have been
identified, prediction work can start. This stage forms the central part of an EIA.
• Several major options are likely to have been proposed either at the scoping stage or
before and each option may require separate prediction studies.
• Realistic and affordable mitigating measures cannot be proposed without first
estimating the scope of the impacts, which should be in monetary terms wherever
possible.
• It then becomes important to quantify the impact of the suggested improvements by
further prediction work. Clearly, options need to be discarded as soon as their
unsuitability can be proved or alternatives shown to be superior in environmental or
economic terms, or both. It is also important to test the "without project" scenario.
• This phase of an EIA will require good management of a wide range of technical
specialists with particular emphasis on:
• prediction methods;
• interpretation of predictions, with and without mitigating measures;
• assessment of comparisons
• It is important to assess the required level of accuracy of predictions. Mathematical
modelling is a valuable technique, but care must be taken to choose models that suit the
available data.
• Because of the level of available knowledge and the complexity of the systems, physical
systems are modelled more successfully than ecological systems which in turn are more
successfully modelled than social systems.
• Social studies (including institutional capacity studies) will probably produce output in non -
numerical terms. Expert advice, particularly from experts familiar with the locality, can
provide quantification of impacts that cannot be modelled. Various techniques are available
to remove the bias of individual opinion.

1.8.6 Management and monitoring

• The part of the EIS covering monitoring and management is often referred to as the
Environmental Action Plan or Environmental Management Plan.
• This section not only sets out the mitigation measures needed for environmental
management, both in the short and long term, but also the institutional requirements
for implementation.
• The term 'institutional' is used here in its broadest context to encompass relationships:
• established by law between individuals and government;
between individuals and groups involved in economic transactions;
developed to articulate legal, financial and administrative links among public
agencies;

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 10

1.8.7 Auditing

• In order to capitalise on the experience and knowledge gained, the last stage of an
EIA is to carry out an Environmental Audit some time after completion of the
project or implementation of a programme.
• It will therefore usually be done by a separate team of specialists to that working on
the bulk of the EIA.
• The audit should include an analysis of the technical, procedural and decision-making
aspects of the EIA.
• Technical aspects include: the adequacy of the baseline studies, the accuracy of
predictions and the suitability of mitigation measures.
• Procedural aspects include: the efficiency of the procedure, the fairness of the public
involvement measures and the degree of coordination of roles and responsibilities.
• Decision-making aspects include: the utility of the process for decision making and
the implications for development.
• The audit will determine whether recommendations and requirements made by the
earlier EIA steps were incorporated successfully into project implementation.
• Lessons learnt and formally described in an audit can greatly assist in future EIAs and
build up the expertise and efficiency of the concerned institutions.

1.9 Public participation

• Projects or programmes have significant impacts on the local population.

• Whilst the aim is to improve the well being of the population, a lack of understanding
of the people and their society may result in development that has considerable
negative consequences.
• More significantly, there may be divergence between national economic interests and
those of the local population.
• For example, the need to increase local rice production to satisfy increasing
consumption in the urban area may differ from the needs as perceived by the local
farmers.
• To allow for this, public participation in the planning process is essential. The EIA
provides an ideal forum for checking that the affected public have been adequately
consulted and their views taken into account in project preparation.
• The level of consultation will vary depending on the type of plan or project. New
projects involving resettlement or displacement will require the most extensive public
participation.
• As stated before, the purpose of an EIA is to improve projects and this, to some
extent, can only be achieved by involving those people directly or indirectly affected.
• The value of environmental amenities is not absolute and consensus is one way of
establishing values.
• Public consultation will reveal new information, improve understanding and enable
better choices to be made. Without consultation, legitimate issues may not be heard,
leading to conflict and unsustainability.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 11

1.9.1 Managing uncertainty

• An EIA involves prediction and thus uncertainty is an integral part.

• There are two types of uncertainty associated with environmental impact assessments:
that associated with the process and, that associated with predictions.
• With the former the uncertainty is whether the most important impacts have been
identified or whether recommendations will be acted upon or ignored.
• For the latter the uncertainty is in the accuracy of the findings.
• The main types of uncertainty and the ways in which they can be minimized are
discussed summarized as follows:
• uncertainty of prediction: this is important at the data collection stage and the
final certainty will only be resolved once implementation commences.
Research can reduce the uncertainty;
• uncertainty of values: this reflects the approach taken in the EIA process. Final
certainty will be determined at the time decisions are made. Improved
communications and extensive negotiations should reduce this uncertainty;
• uncertainty of related decision: this affects the decision making element of the
EIA process and final certainty will be determined by post evaluation.
Improved coordination will reduce uncertainty.

1.10 CROSS-SECTORAL ISSUES

1.10.1 Biological Diversity

• Biological diversity, or bio diversity, refers to the variety of the world's

biological resources - its living organism.
• It is a function not simply of the number of ecosystems and distinct plant and
animal species in existence at any given time, but also of genetic differences
within individual species.
• This great diversity of the world's plant and animal species has intrinsic value,
simply for existing.
• Further, biological diversity is more than a concept; it is a precious natural
resource - a resource essential to human existence ad commerce.
• All principal food crops of today were derived from wild species, and the
existence of genetic variability in the form of wild relatives of domestic crops
is the source for continued improvement in yield and resistance to disease or
stressful changes in environmental conditions.
• Bank Policy, Procedures, and Guidelines
• Agriculture and livestock projects involving land clearing, wetlands
elimination,(சதுப்பு நிலங் களை அகற் றுதல் ) inundation for
irrigation storage reservoirs, displacement of wildlife by fences or domestic
livestock, heavy use of pesticides, introduction of cash crop monoculture into
settings previously dependent on a large suite of local crops for subsistence
agriculture.
• forestry projects involving construction of access roads, intensive logging,
establishment of forest products industries which induce other development
near the project site;

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 12

 • transportation projects involving construction of highways, bridges, roads,
railways, or canals, all of which may facilitate access to and spontaneous
settlements in natural areas;
• channelization of rivers;
• dredge and fill activities in coastal or inland wetlands;
• The Bank finances projects in all of these categories. It can therefore influence
the management and protection of biological resources and promote
conservation of biological diversity through selection of projects, participation
in the project preparation and environmental review process, project appraisal,
implementation and recommendations regarding the sectoral and national
development strategies of borrowing countries.

1.11 TOR (TERMS OF REFERANCE)

• Terms of Reference (TOR) for preparation of Environmental Impact

assessment (EIA) for Ports and Harbors projects as per the EIA notification,
2006 has been devised to improve the quality of the reports and facilitate the
decision making transparent and easy.
• TOR will help the project proponents and consultants to prepare report with
relevant project specific data, which are informative, compact and easy to
comprehend.
• TOR for Ports and Harbor projects is expected to cover all environmental
related features.

The sectors falling under Group I and II are as follows:

Project activities: Group I
• Highways, Ports & Harbors, Airports, Arial Passenger Ropeways
• Building & Construction Projects and Townships and Area Development
Projects
Project Activities: Group II
• Nuclear Fuel Processing and Power Generation.
• Mining & Minerals, Asbestos Based Products, Coal Washeries, Mineral.

1.11.1 The common format or generic structure essentially comprises of 11 sections

1.Introduction,
2.Project Description,
3.Analysis of Alternatives,
4.Description of Environment [Land Air, Water, Noise],
5.Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures,
6.Environmental Monitoring Program.
7.Additional Studies,
8.Project Benefits,
9.Environmental Management Plan,
10.Summary and Conclusions,
11. Disclosure of consultants.
Terms of Reference (TOR) for all the sectors prepared by the experts were presented to the core and
peer committee.
DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 13
1.11.2 Description of the Environment
Land Environment
• Land
• Topography
• Topography
• Soil
• Meteorological Data
Water Environment
• Water Environment
• Surface Water
Marine Environment
• Coastal Hydrology/geomorphology
• Bed sediment contamination
• Sea/Harbour Water Quality
Biological Environment
• Biological Environment
• Flora and Fauna in the neighborhood
Air Environment
• Base line data of ambient air parameters
Noise
• as per the CPCB norms.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 14

1.12 Public Hearing in ElA.

• Involvement of the public is one of the fundamental principles of a successful EIA process.
• It not only provides an opportunity to those directly affected by a project to express their
views on the environmental and social impacts of the proposal but also brings about
transparency in the environmental clearance system.
• Nearly all EIA systems make some sort of provision for public involvement.
• This could be in the form of public consultation (or dialogue) or public participation (which is
a more interactive and intensive process of stakeholder engagement).
• Most EIA processes are undertaken through public consultation rather than participation.
• Public consultation refers to the process by which the concerns of the local people regarding
the adverse impacts of a project are ascertained and taken into account in the EIA study.
• This concept was legally introduced in India in the form of ‘public hearing’ in 1997.
Since then the public hearing process has been conducted as a mandatory step of environm ental
clearance for most projects and activities.
• The public consultation process ensures an equitable and fair decision-making process
resulting in better environmental outcomes.
• The type of consultation, whom to consult during EIA activities, when and how to do so and
who should do it all vary significantly from project to project.
• This depends on the needs of the project. However, it is an important component for all
kinds of project.
• This is because public consultations help allay the concerns of the local community, and
reduce inaccurate information in the EIA report.
• In India, the role of the public in the entire environment clearance process is quite limited.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 15

 • Public consultation happens at a very late stage when the EIA report is already prepared
and the proponent is about to present it to the review committee for clearance.
• This means that the EIA study is unable to take into account the concerns and issues
important to public.
• Even if the members of the community raise certain issues in the public hearing process,
they have no means of knowing if it actually gets addressed in the final EIA report as they
have no access to it.
• There are several weaknesses in the public hearing process as it exists now.
• Instead of becoming a participatory forum it has become a mere procedure.
• There was a chance to address some of these weaknesses in the new notification and give
more teeth to the entire public hearing process.
• However, there is very little improvement in the new notification, instead it has now adde d
a provision which makes it possible to completely forego the public hearing process if the
situation is not conducive for conducting hearing as felt by the local administration.
• This provision can be misused to further limit the role of the public in the entire process.
• There have been several cases in the past that have shown that the public hearing process
has failed to meet its objective of effectively involving people in the clearance process.
• Several means have been devised to keep the public away such as poor circulation of notice ,
politics, etc.
1.12.1 EIA Consultant Accreditation
• The ‘Scheme for the accreditation of EIA Consultant Organizations’ evolved by NABET (the
Scheme) identifies the following basic requirements of the EIA Consultant Organization:
1. Qualification and experience of EIA Coordinators and Functional Areas Experts
2. Requirements for field investigations and laboratory arrangement to ensure the quality of
the baseline data
3. Quality management systems to be followed
4. Office facilities and other enabling factors to be provided by an organization
1.12.2 Benefits of accreditation to EIA Consultant Organization
• Apart from the fact that currently it is mandatory for organizations which prepare EIA
reports for obtaining environmental clearance, to get accredited under the Scheme, some of
the other advantages are –
1. A system of yearly assessment by highly experienced NABET assessors providing valuable
input for improvement
2. Listing in the QCI and the MOEF websites, which is an important database for prospective
clients
3. Use of the QCI-NABET logo, a mark of quality in stationary, to improve the brand image of
the organization
4. Recognition in the international arena through the QCI which is a member of International
Accreditation Forum (IAF)

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 16

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 17
Important Questions
2MARKS
1. What is environmental impact assesment?
2. what are the factors should be addressed in EIA?
3. How EIA is functioned?
4. what are the thins should be concentrated in EIA
5. Mention the various elements of EIA
6. What are the points to be incorporated during EIA eveluation
7. name the various steps involved in EIA
8. What are the objectives of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
9. What is expected in the "ToR" for an EIA?
10. Define EIA and list out the need for EIA
11. What are the short term and long term objectives of EIA?
12. List out the various techniques useful for EIA process.
13. What do you understand by "Terms of Reference"?

13 MARKS
1. Explain the different elements of EIA in relation to the Project Cycle
2. Briefly describe the legal provisions in India regarding EIA
3. Describe the various steps in EIA process with the help of a flow chart.
4. Explain the need for conducting Environmental Impact Assessment.
5. Write note on screening and scoping as elements of EIA
6. Draw a flow diagram of EIA process to get environmental clearance for Thermal Power Plant
Project.
7. What are the steps involved in EIA clearance process?
8. What is the significance of cost benefit analysis in EIA?
9. Explain briefly the evolution of EIA.
10. Explain in general the environmental clearance process in India.
11. What are the major methodologies for EIA? Explain any two methods.

DR.R.JAYASANKAR,ME.,PH.D, DEPT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING /AVCCE. 18