What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

Hey Corpseed readers, in this blog we are going to tell you about the importance of Environmental Impact Assessment. Primarily, we need to understand what is an Environmental Impact assessment and why it is required. EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) is one of the most important methods to measure the level of impact on the environment causing due to the proposed project. This is a scientific method to analyze the environmental impact of several projects like Mining, non-recyclable waste treatment plant, Irrigation dams, and any other industrial units as well. As per the environmental (Protection) Act. 1986, the draft notification was issued with the powers of the central government.

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This draft was issued to make sure that every industrial project and such projects follow the specific guidelines which results improve in environmental quality. I think we have understood the meaning of Environmental Impact Assessment, now we are going to tell you about the importance of Environment Impact Assessment.   

What is the Importance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

Now we are going to tell you about the importance of Environmental Impact Assessment in India. If any project don’t follow some of the regulations of EIA but it would still some of the benefits of EIA. Here is a list of points which shows the importance of Environmental Impact Assessment: 

• As we all know that we are a developing economy and this development also cause a big environmental impact. Environmental Impact Assessment helps to connect development and environmental protection so that state can achieve the goal of sustainable development. 
• Environment Impact Assessment give complete blueprint of the project and this blueprint always make sure that the project would cause least possible environment damage. 
• There are some specific factors on which EIA evaluate a project. These factors are technological risk, Cost of environmental impacts, etc. and Environment impact Assessment make sure that all of these factors should be fulfilled as per the requirements. 
• Public hearing is an important stage in the process of EIA. Proponent must make sure that all the people who are going to affect by the project are involved in public hearing and such activities. 
• Environment Impact Assessment report provides the most efficient method to reduce the impacts of the project on the environment which saves the environment and resources both. 
• Environment Impact Assessment can also help in predicting and avoiding the natural disasters such as floods and landslides. 
• Environment Impact Assessment also helps in maintaining the healthy relationship between the state (government), developers, environmentalists and the public. Maintaining good relations between the state (government) and the public is very important for peace and development of the state. 
• Several projects which affects the environment in certain aspects can creates some legal disputes. Environment Impact Assessment can help to solve these kind of issues and reduce the burden of the judiciary of the country.  
• EIA is very essential for every project which impacts the environment so that the project proponent could get the benefits of Environment Impact Assessment. 

Objectives of Environmental Impact Assessment

• The main objective of Environment Impact Assessment is to analyse the social, economic and environmental impacts of the development projects. Identification of these factors helps the proponent to get the most efficient method of working.  
• EIA provides the detailed information about the impact of the proposed project on the environment so that state could predict the environmental consequences of the proposed project. 
• Environmental Impact Assessment supports the idea of sustainable development and it provides efficient method of sustainable development which cause the least amount of harm to the environment. 

What is the Process for environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

Here is a list of steps for Environment Impact Assessment and proponent need to follow these steps in the same sequence to complete the process of EIA. Here are some guiding principles for EIA with the complete process of EIA: 

• Screening:- In this stage, Proponent need a complete and partial study of the proposed project. 
• Scoping:- In this stage, proponent need to monitor the project’s potential impacts, zone of impacts, mitigation possibilities. This monitoring should be done with the supervision of experts and public engagements. 
• Assessment & Evaluation (Analysis) of Impacts and Development of proposed project:- In this stage, Proponent need to analyse the consequences of the proposed project and evaluate the complete cost of the proposed project. 
• EIA Report also called Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):- Proponent need to prepare an EMP (environmental management plan) and Non-technical summary. The EMP (environmental management plan) and Non-technical summary will be required to present in front of general public (Public hearing) in this stage.
• Decision Making:- IAA (Impact Assessment Authority) will consult with experts to the project-in-charge and they will take the financial decisions of the project. They will consider the EIA (environment impact assessment) and EMP (Environment management plan). 
• Monitoring, compliance, enforcement and environmental auditing:- In this stage, project proponent have to monitor the previous stages of the process and make sure that everything works on the basis of EMP (environmental management plan). 

Who are the Participants in the EIA Process? 

• Project Proponent:- Project Proponent could be Government or Private Agency that starts the proposed project. 
• Decision maker of the proposed project:- The decision maker could be a designated person or individual/group who is responsible for the decisions of the project. 
• Assessor-Agency:- This agency would be responsible for the preparation of EIS (Environmental Impact Statement). 
• Reviewer-Individual/Agency/Board:- Reviewer is the person who reviews and monitors the proposed project. 
• Expert advisers, Media and Public, Environmental organizations, etc.:- This team of advisors would help the project proponent to set the measures for the environmental impact and they would help to form the EMP (environment management plan) and Non-technical summary. 

What are the advantages of EIA?

Here is a list of environmental and economic benefits of Environmental Impact Assessment: 

• EIA helps in the reduction of cost and time of the proposed project and it also improves the design of the proposed project. 
• EIA helps in avoiding any type of treatment and clean-up cost which could impact the law and regulations of the state. 
• Environmental impact assessment creates a base for environmentally friendly projects. 
• EIA also spread awareness of environmental legislation which reduces the number of violations of environmental-related acts. 
• EIA also promotes the protection of the Environment. 
• EIA helps the project proponent in the complete and optimum utilization of the available resources which creates a balance between development and environmental protection. It means it also helps in sustainable development. 
• EIA informs the decision-makers about every update of the proposed project. 
• EIA report covers all the critical aspects of the environmental factors of India. 
• Environment Impact Assessment represents the complete study of the possible consequences of the proposed project. 
• EIA helps the project proponent in predicting the environmental consequences of the proposed project and also helps in project planning as well. 
• The environmental ministry or other specific regulatory bodies grants approval to the proposed project on the basis of the EIA report. EIA reports are important to get permission from these regulatory authorities. 
• Environment impact assessment must define all the required measures that the project would take to reduce the impact of the project on the environment. 
• Nobody can start any of such projects without the process of the public hearing and EIA-based approvals are granted on the basis of these public hearings. It makes sure that the people who are going to get affected by the proposed project are aware of all the consequences of that project. 
• EIA helps in making a connection between environment and development which helps in completing the goal of sustainable development. 

Is EIA report Mandatory in India?

In India, environmental impact assessment is now inevitable for several industries. EIA report is really important in order to make sure that industry is not causing harm to the environment surrounding it.  EIA report is not something that is only required to start a project but it is also socially responsible for it to conduct an EIA.

In India, The Environmental Impact Assessment is an extremely complex procedure that must be completed by experts because only they can provide accurate, authentic, and high-quality EIA reports which contain the full study of the proposed project.

But we can say that it’s not a simple task to complete an EIA for a project. The project proponent would need the help of experts who are familiar with all the aspects of that project.

By doing so, the Project proponent needs to be insured that all documents needed for an EIA are complete and that all requirements will be met. Which would generate an accurate EIA report with every requirement for the proposed project. 

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about the importance of the Environment Impact Assessment report and we have shared a complete procedure for the same. This article talks about the different aspects of environmental impact assessment. We talked about the complete step-by-step process of the EIA report. If you want any help regarding the procedure of EIA then you can visit our website Corpseed. We shall be glad to help you. Thank you for reading this blog.