Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a decision-support process that identifies and evaluates the likely environmental effects of a proposed project before approval. It uses impact prediction, public participation, mitigation measures and an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to inform approval, modification or rejection.

Legal and institutional framework

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the EIA Notification, 2006 provide the principal framework for prior environmental clearance of projects listed in the notification's Schedule.

• Category A projects are appraised at the Union level by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, assisted by an Expert Appraisal Committee.
• Category B projects are considered by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, assisted by a State Expert Appraisal Committee, subject to the notification's classification rules.
• Screening divides Category B projects into B1, which require an EIA report, and B2, which do not require one.

Scrutiny before environmental clearance

Depending on project category and applicable exemptions, scrutiny proceeds through screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal. These stages generate evidence about risks and safeguards for consideration by the regulatory authority.

• Screening determines whether a Category B project requires a detailed EIA study, while scoping sets the terms of reference for that study.
• Baseline studies describe existing environmental conditions and support prediction of impacts on air, water, land, biodiversity and affected communities.
• Assessment of alternatives can identify a less damaging site, technology, design or operating method.
• Public consultation, where required, records concerns of locally affected people and other stakeholders having a plausible stake in the environmental consequences.
• Appraisal examines the EIA report, consultation outcomes, alternatives and proposed mitigation measures and EMP before recommending clearance with conditions or rejection.

Governance significance and limitations

EIA applies the precautionary approach by examining foreseeable harm before potentially irreversible investments are made. It does not automatically prohibit development; it seeks to improve the environmental quality and accountability of project decisions.

• Clearance conditions and the EMP convert predicted impacts into mitigation, monitoring and compliance commitments.
• Assessment can reveal cumulative and cross-border effects on shared rivers, coasts, airsheds or habitats, supporting consultation and cooperation between neighbouring states.
• Effectiveness depends on reliable baseline data, independent appraisal, meaningful participation, transparent decisions and post-clearance compliance.