Environment Quiz: Environment Impact Assessment |22 Apr, 2021

Environment Impact Assessment or EIA can be defined as the study to predict the effect of a proposed activity/project on the environment.

A decision-making tool, EIA compares various alternatives for a project and seeks to identify the one which represents the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits.

Source: https://www.cseindia.org/understanding-eia-383

EIA as a mandatory regulatory procedure originated in the early 1970s, with the implementation of the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) 1969 in the US.

• A large part of the initial development took place in a few high-income countries, like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (1973-74).
• However, there were some developing countries as well, which introduced EIA relatively early – Columbia (1974), Philippines (1978).
• The Indian experience with Environmental Impact Assessment began over 20 years back.
• It started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission asked the Department of Science and Technology to examine the river-valley projects from an environmental angle.
• This was subsequently extended to cover those projects, which required the approval of the Public Investment Board.

• Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government was an administrative decision and lacked legislative support.

Source: https://www.cseindia.org/understanding-eia-383

On 27 January 1994, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF), Government of India, under the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an EIA notification making Environmental Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or modernization of any activity or for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the notification.

Since then, there have been 12 amendments made in the EIA notification of 1994.

Source: https://www.cseindia.org/understanding-eia-383

Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) refers to systematic analysis of the environmental effects of development policies, plans, programmes and other proposed strategic actions.

• This process extends the aims and principles of EIA upstream in the decision-making process, beyond the project level and when major alternatives are still open.
• SEA represents a proactive approach to integrating environmental considerations into the higher levels of decision-making.

Source: https://www.cseindia.org/understanding-eia-383

Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 has decentralized the environmental clearance projects by categorizing the developmental projects in two categories, i.e., Category A (national level appraisal) and Category B (state level appraisal).

• Category A projects are appraised at national level by Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) and the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) and Category B projects are apprised at state level.

• State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) are constituted to provide clearance to Category B process.

After 2006 Amendment the EIA cycle comprises of four stages:

• Screening
• Scoping
• Public hearing

• Appraisal

Source: https://www.cseindia.org/understanding-eia-383

Derived from the Greek words phyto (plant) and plankton (made to wander or drift), phytoplankton are microscopic plant organisms that live in aquatic environments, both salty and fresh.

• Some phytoplankton are bacteria, some are protists, and most are single-celled plants. Among the common kinds are cyanobacteria, silica-encased diatoms, dinoflagellates, green algae, and chalk-coated coccolithophores.
• Phytoplankton produce more than 60% of oxygen produced from all plants.
• Like land plants, all phytoplankton have chlorophyll to capture sunlight, and they use photosynthesis to turn it into chemical energy.

• They consume carbon dioxide, and release oxygen. All phytoplankton photosynthesize, but some get additional energy by consuming other organisms.
• These micro‐algae are present throughout the lighted regions of all the seas and oceans including the Polar Regions.
• Their total biomass is many times greater than that of the total plants on land and they serve as the “pasture grounds” in the aquatic environment.

Source: Shankar

The adoption of a National Policy for Wildlife Conservation in 1970 and the enactment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972 lead to a significant growth in the protected areas network.

• From 5 national parks and 60 sanctuaries to a network of 669 Protected Areas with geographical area of the country, 4.92%.
• Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure.
• Environmental (Protection) Act 1986.

Source: Envis

The Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 provided for the declaration of certain areas by the State Government as wildlife sanctuaries if the area was thought to be of adequate ecological, geo-morphological and natural significance.

The Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA) of 1972 provided for the declaration of National Parks by the State Government in addition to the declaration of wildlife sanctuaries.

Source: Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

Slender loris (primate) found only in the tropical rainforests of Southern India and Sri Lanka.

The Indian star tortoise found in scrub forests of India and Sri Lanka.

Source: WWF

Project Elephant was launched in February, 1992 as centrally sponsored scheme to assist states having free ranging populations of wild elephants and to ensure long term survival of identified viable populations of elephants in their natural habitats.

• The Project is being mainly implemented in 13 States / UTs , viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

• Small support is also being given to Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
• States are being given financial as well as technical assistance in achieving the objectives of the Project.
• Help is also provided to other states with small populations of elephants for the purpose of census, training of field staff and mitigation of human-elephant conflict.

Source: Shankar