MODULE 2
Environmental Clearance Process in India
All projects and activities are broadly categorized
into two categories - Category A and
Category B based on:
▪ spatial extent of impacts
▪ impacts on natural and man-made resources
▪ impacts on human health
An application seeking prior environmental
clearance in all cases shall be made
Environmental Clearance (EC)
Category A projects
EC is done by Central Government in the Ministry of
Environment and Forests(MoEF)
Based on the decisions on the recommendation by Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC).
Category B projects:
EC is done at state level by the State Environment
Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
The SEIAA shall base its decisions on the recommendations
of a State level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC)
In the absence of a duly constituted SEAC, a Category
‘B’ project shall be treated as a Category ‘A’ project.
Stages in Environmental
Clearence process (EC)
Stage 1: Screening (Only for Category ‘B’
projects and activities)
Stage 2: Scoping
Stage 3: Public Consultation
Stage 4: Appraisal
Stage 1: Screening
Only for Category B projects and activities to determine
if they need EIA.
Category A projects compulsorily need EIA.
Scrutiny of an application seeking EC by SEAC for determining
whether or not the project or activity requires further
environmental studies.
Classify projects as B1 (require EIA) and B2 (don’t require EIA)
For categorization of projects into B1 or B2, the MoEF shall
issue appropriate guidelines from time to time
Stage 2: Scoping
Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) in the case of
Category ‘A’ projects or activities
State level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) in
the case of Category ‘B1’ projects
Determine comprehensive Terms Of Reference
(TOR) addressing all relevant environmental
concerns for preparation of an Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA)
Stage 3: Public consultation
Process by which the concerns of local affected persons
and others who have reasonable stake in the environmental
impacts of the project or activity are determined
All Category ‘A’ and Category B1 projects or activities shall
undertake Public Consultation
Public Consultation shall ordinarily have two
components
1. public hearing at the site or in its close proximity to be
carried out for determining concerns of local affected persons
2. obtain responses in writing from other concerned
persons having a reasonable stake in the environmental
aspects of the project
After public
consultation…
Applicant shall address all environmental
concerns expressed during this process
Make appropriate changes in the draft EIA
Final EIA report shall be submitted by the
applicant to the concerned regulatory
authority for appraisal.
Stage 4: Appraisal
Detailed scrutiny by the EAC or SEAC of
documents like the Final EIA report
outcome of the public consultations including public
hearing proceedings submitted by the applicant to the
regulatory authority concerned for grant of
environmental clearance
Appraisal of all projects or activities which are not
required to undergo public consultation, or submit an
Environment Impact Assessment report (Category B2)
shall be carried out
EAC or SEAC shall recommend to the
regulatory authority concerned
either for grant of prior
environmental clearance on stipulated
terms and conditions
or rejection of the application for
prior environmental clearance, together
with reasons for the same.
Grant or Rejection of EC
The regulatory authority shall consider the
recommendations of the EAC or SEAC concerned and
convey its decision to the applicant
In cases where it disagrees with the recommendations
of the Expert Committee (Central or State), the regulatory
authority shall request reconsideration by the Central
or State Expert Appraisal Committee
After reconsideration, irrespective of views of
Expert Committee, decision of the regulatory
authority concerned shall be final
If decision not granted within stipulated
time, the applicant may proceed as if the
environment clearance sought for has been
granted or denied by the regulatory authority in
terms of the final recommendations of the
Expert Committee concerned
Careful concealment and/or submission of
false or misleading information or data which
is material to screening or scoping or appraisal or
decision on the application shall make the
application liable for rejection
Validity of Environmental Clearance
Ten years in the case of River Valley projects
Thirty years for mining projects
Five years in the case of all other projects
and activities
Form 1
Form 1
CLASSIFICATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
on the basis of:
purpose, spatial unit and time scale
Types of EIA
Environmental assessments could be classified into
four types i.e.,
Strategic environmental assessment
Regional EIA,
Sectoral EIA
Project level EIA.
Strategic Environmental Assessment
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) refers
to systematic analysis of the environmental effects
of development policies, plans, programmes
and other proposed strategic actions before it
is implemented.
SEA represents a proactive approach to integrating
environmental considerations into the higher
levels of decision-making – beyond the project
level, when major alternatives are still open
Strategic Environmental Assessment
(contd.)
The primary objective of SEA is to ensure that
environmental considerations are integrated
into the decision-making process alongside
economic and social factors.
SEA is typically applied to large-scale projects,
policies, or programs that could have
significant and far-reaching effects on the
environment.
The SEA assesses the extent to which a given policy,
plan or programme provides an adequate response
to environmental and climate change–related
Regional EIA
EIA in the context of regional planning integrates
environmental concerns into development
planning for a geographic region.
A Regional Environmental Impact Assessment is a
comprehensive study and evaluation of the
potential environmental impacts and consequences
of a proposed project or development in a
specific geographical region.
Such an approach is referred to as the economic-
cum environmental (EcE) development
planning.
This approach facilitates adequate integration of
economic development with management of
renewable natural resources within the carrying
capacity limitation to achieve sustainable
development
It fulfils the need for macro-level environmental
integration
In addition, if environmental effects are considered
at regional level, then the cumulative
environmental effects of all the projects within the
region can be accounted
Project level EIA
Project level EIA refers to the developmental
activity in isolation and the impacts that it
exerts on the receiving environment.
Thus, it may not effectively integrate the
cumulative effects of the development in a region
The project-level EIA is relatively simple and
reaches to meaningful conclusions at a project
level.
Therefore in India, project-level EIA studies take
place on a largescale and are being considered
significant.
However, in the re-engineered Notification,
provisions are incorporated for giving a single
clearance for an entire industrial estate which
is a step towards the regional approach.
Sectoral EIA
Instead of project-level-EIA, an EIA takes place in the
context of regional and sectoral level planning.
Once sectoral level development plans have the
integrated sectoral environmental concerns addressed,
the scope of project-level EIA will be quite minimal.
Sectoral EIA helps in addressing specific environmental
problems that may be encountered in planning and
implementing sectoral development projects
Rapid EIA:
Rapid EIA is based on preparation of
assessment report compiled on the basis
of one season data to see the likely
environmental impacts of any proposed
development activity as per the guidelines and
requirement of the concerned departments
Rapid EIA is speedier process to complete EIA
within short period of time.
This helps to decide whether,
comprehensive EIA is required or not.
Comprehensive EIA:
Comprehensive EIA is usually undertaken after the
initial screening of rapid EIA.
More than two season data is required for analysis
and preparation of comprehensive EIA.
The purpose of comprehensive EIA is to access some
detrimental effects on the environment and
identifying potential impacts and modeling exercise
have been carried out to predict and evaluate impacts
to prepare management plan to make project eco-
friendly and sustainable.
The main difference between rapid EIA and
comprehensive EIA is the time scale.
Terms of Reference
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), "TOR"
stands for "Terms of Reference."
Terms of Reference are a critical part of the EIA
process, and they serve as a formal document
that outlines the scope, objectives, and
methodologies for conducting the
environmental assessment for a specific project
The Terms of Reference are typically developed
in consultation with relevant government
agencies, environmental experts, and
stakeholders.
They serve as a guide for conducting a
thorough and systematic environmental
assessment, ensuring that the EIA process is
comprehensive and in compliance with
applicable regulations.
TOR document typically contains
Project Description: The TOR document begins by
providing a detailed description of the proposed
project. It outlines the project's nature, size,
location, purpose, and any associated activities.
Purpose of the EIA: The TOR defines the main
purpose of conducting the EIA. This could
include assessing potential environmental impacts,
identifying mitigation measures, or ensuring
compliance with environmental regulations.
Scope of the Study: The TOR specifies the
boundaries of the environmental assessment. It
defines the geographical area to be studied, the specific
environmental components to be assessed (such as air
quality, water resources, biodiversity, social aspects,
etc.), and the time frame for the assessment.
Study Methodology: It outlines the methods and
procedures that will be used to collect data, analyze
impacts, and assess potential risks associated with the
project. This section may also include details on how
public consultation and stakeholder engagement
will be conducted.
Data Requirements: The TOR identifies the data and
information that need to be collected or generated
during the EIA process. This could involve baseline data
on environmental conditions, socio-economic data, and
other relevant information.
Regulatory Requirements: It specifies any legal or
regulatory requirements that the EIA must adhere
to, including environmental standards, guidelines, and
applicable laws.
Alternatives Analysis: The TOR may require an
analysis of alternative project designs, technologies,
or locations and the assessment of their environmental
and social implications.
Public Participation: The document may include
provisions for public participation and
consultation, including how and when the public
will be informed and involved in the EIA process.
Roles and Responsibilities: The TOR outlines the
roles and responsibilities of various
stakeholders involved in the EIA process,
including the project proponent, the EIA consultant
(if applicable), government agencies, and other
relevant parties.
Reporting Requirements: It specifies the format
and content of the final EIA report, including the
structure and sections that should be included.
Timelines: The TOR may include deadlines and
milestones for different stages of the EIA process,
from data collection to the submission of the final
report.
Review and Approval Process: It outlines the
procedures for the review and approval of the EIA
report, including the relevant authorities responsible
for evaluating and granting environmental clearance.
Structure of the EIA report
Executive Summary Chapter
1. Introduction Chapter
2. Description of the Project Chapter
3. Description of the Environment Chapter
4. Anticipated Environmental Impacts, and
Mitigation Measures Chapter
5. Environmental Management Plan and Post-
project Environmental Monitoring Program
Chapter
6. Emergency Response Plan (ERP)
STEPS IN EIA PROCESS
EIA represents a systematic process that
examines the environmental consequences
of the development actions, in advance.
The Entire EIA procedure can be broadly
divided into 2 complementary tasks:
1. The Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)
2. Full Scale Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA)
The EIA
process
The Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)
It is the process of reviewing the environmental integrity of
projects to determine whether EIA level studies should be
conducted.
This is used to determine which projects require full
scale EIA.
This is done to minimize the effort, expense and delay in project
planning.
In IEE, the environmental effects of the proposed project
are evaluated in limited budget based on available
recorded information and professional judgement.
IEE is a means of providing the most efficient and feasible
preparation of adequate environment management plans with
Full Scale Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA)
It is a multidisciplinary approach to impact
assessment.
Potential impacts in all areas are
considered.
Professional assessment of impacts on natural
resources, air quality, neighbourhood effects
must be quantified.
1. Project screening: 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.
2. 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.
3. Consideration of alternatives: This seeks to ensure that
the proponent has considered other feasible approaches,
including alternative project locations, scales, processes,
layouts, operating condition and the no-action option.
1. Description of the project/development action: This step
seeks to clarify the purpose and rationale of the project and
understand its various characteristics, including the stages of
development, location and processes.
2. Description of the environmental baseline: This includes
the establishment of both the present and future state of the
environment, in the absence of the project, taking into account
the changes resulting from natural events and from other
human activities.
3. Identification of key impacts: This brings together the
previous steps with a view to ensuring that all potentially
significant environmental impacts (adverse and beneficial) are
identified and taken into account in the process.
1. The prediction of impacts: This step aims to identify the
likely magnitude of the impact in the environment when the
project is implemented in comparison with the situation when
the project is not carried out.
2. Evaluation and assessment of significance: This seeks to
assess the relative significance of the predicted impacts to
allow a focus on key adverse impacts. Formal definition of
significance is the product of consequence and likelihood as
Significance =consequence X Likelihood
3. Mitigation: This involves the introduction of measures to
avoid, reduce, remedy or compensate for any significant
adverse impacts.
1. EIS presentation: This is a vital step in the process. If
done badly, much good work in the EIA may be negated.
2. Review: This involves a systematic appraisal of the
quality of the EIS, as a contribution to the decision-
making process.
3. Decision-making: At this stage, decisions are made by
the relevant authority of the EIS (including consultation
responses) together with other material considerations
as to whether to accept, defer or reject the project.
1. Post-decision monitoring: This involves the
recording of outcomes associated with development
impacts, after the decision to proceed with the
project. It can contribute to effective project
management.
2. Auditing: This follows monitoring and involves
comparing actual outcomes with predicted
outcomes, and can be used to assess the quality of
predictions and the effectiveness of mitigation. It
provides a vital step in the EIA learning process