Environment & Ecology
Environmental Impact Assessment
GS Paper III
Environmental Impact Assessment — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision of EIA: legal basis, 1994 and 2006 notifications, project categories, four stages, public hearing, CRZ 2019 zones, SEA and key judgments.
SyllabusGS III · Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment (GS III)
A last-week revision sheet for EIA. Prelims targets who does what at which stage; Mains targets why the process falls short.
Framework
| Item | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Predict and mitigate impacts before a decision |
| Rio Declaration | Principle 17 — EIA as a national instrument |
| First EIA law | NEPA, USA, 1969 |
| Parent law in India | Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 |
| First notification | 27 January 1994 |
| Current notification | 14 September 2006 |
| Single window | PARIVESH (2018) |
| Consultants | Accredited through QCI–NABET; paid by proponent |
Categories
| Category | Appraisal | Clearance |
|---|---|---|
| A | Expert Appraisal Committee (Centre) | MoEFCC |
| B1 | SEAC (EIA report needed) | SEIAA |
| B2 | SEAC (no EIA report) | SEIAA |
Category B within 10 km of protected areas, critically polluted areas, eco-sensitive areas, or inter-State/international boundaries → treated as Category A.
Stages
| Stage | Key point |
|---|---|
| Screening | Only Category B; B1 or B2 |
| Scoping | Terms of Reference |
| Public consultation | Hearing by SPCB/UTPCC; DM or ADM presides; 30 days’ notice; written responses |
| Appraisal | EAC/SEAC recommends; regulator decides |
| Monitoring | Six-monthly compliance reports |
Related Clearances
| Clearance | Law |
|---|---|
| Forest | Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 |
| Wildlife | Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 — NBWL Standing Committee |
| Coastal | CRZ Notification, 2019 (under EP Act) |
CRZ 2019
| Zone | Covers | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| I | Mangroves, corals, dunes, intertidal | Most restricted |
| II | Developed urban shoreline | Build landward of existing structures |
| III A | Rural, density ≥2,161/sq km (Census 2011) | 50 m NDZ from HTL |
| III B | Other rural | 200 m NDZ from HTL |
| IV | Water area to 12 nautical miles; tidal water bodies | Water-based activities regulated |
Judgments
| Case | Holding |
|---|---|
| Lafarge (2011) | Guidelines; national regulator suggested |
| Common Cause (2017) | Mining without clearances — compensation equal to value of illegally extracted mineral |
| Alembic (2020) | Ex post facto clearance contrary to environmental jurisprudence |
High-yield facts
- The EIA and CRZ notifications are delegated legislation under the EP Act, 1986 — not separate Acts.
- SEA assesses policies, plans and programmes; EIA assesses projects.
- Espoo Convention (1991): transboundary EIA; Kiev Protocol (2003): SEA.
- Draft EIA Notification, 2020 proposed post-facto clearance; it drew wide public comment.
Traps
- Screening is not for Category A.
- The SPCB, not the proponent, conducts the public hearing.
- CRZ-IV is water, not land.
Related Topics
- Environmental Impact Assessment in India: Process, Institutions and Reform
- Environmental Impact Assessment — practice questions
- Environmental Laws and Institutions — quick revision
- All quick revision sheets
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