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Bharatiya Vaigyanik evam Audyogik Anusandhan Patrika (BVAAP) >
BVAAP Vol.17 [2009] >
BVAAP Vol.17(2) [December 2009] >
| Title: | Environmental impact assessment & environment management |
| Authors: | Sharma, Niraj
Dev, Pankaj Dutt
Gangopadhyay, S
Dhyani, Rajni |
| Issue Date: | Dec-2009 |
| Publisher: | CSIR |
| Abstract: |
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important
tool for integrating the objectives of environmental management into the decision
making process to ensure environmentally sound and sustainable development.
Earlier, any developmental project/activity were reviewed keeping in view the
technical feasibility and financial viability of the project only. However,
with the introduction of concept of EIA the environmental considerations have
also been
included as one of the factors to be considered while
deciding about the feasibility and sustainability of any developmental/industrial
project/activity. In fact, the main purpose of EIA is to mitigate adverse
environmental impacts (if any) of any project/activity and bringing them to an
acceptable level and to project the community likely to be affected by the
proposed project. In India,
EIA was started in 1976-1977 to examine the river valley projects from environmental
angle. But during that time it lacked legislative support. On 27th of January
1994, EIA notification
[under the
environmental (Protection) Act (1986)] was issued by which EIA process became
"statutory requirement" rather than an "administrative
requirement" for a number of projects/activities likely to have
significant environmental impacts and health implications. Since then, the EIA
notification has undergone several amendments incorporating provisions for
"Public Hearing" and bringing in several important
projects/activities into the purview of EIA, requiring "Environmental
Clearance" by Ministry of Environment and Forest
(MoEF), Govt of
India. To further improve the EIA procedure in India, EIA
notification was revised on September 14th, 2006. According to the notification,
different projects/developmental activities have been divided into 8 major
heads requiring "Environmental Clearance" (EC) either from Central
Government, i.e. MoEF (Category 'A') or at State Level from State Environmental
Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) (Category 'B'). The category 'B' has been
further
divided into category 'B1'(project requires to submit EIA
report) and 'B2' project activities which don't require EIA report). All
categories 'A' and 'B1' projects necessarily have to carry out EIA studies
along with the "public Hearing" as per the procedure stipulated in
the notification. In the draft notification (January 19th 2009),
revised "threshold criteria" have been introduced for different
project categories. Further, an effort has also been made to make EIA procedure
more transparent and to provide societal vigil of projects affecting the
environment
through "Public Hearing/ Consultation" by
moving the environment protection agenda into public domain.
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| Page(s): | 101-107 |
| ISSN: | 0975-2412 (Online); 0771-7706 (Print) |
| Source: | BVAAP Vol.17(2) [December 2009]
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