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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on May 17, 2025

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Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA)

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international Significance

For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment & Ecology

Context:

An expert panel of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted preliminary permissions to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for a proposed 1,000 MW Upper Bhavani pumped hydropower project in the Nilgiri Hills, located in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats.

Read about:

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Protection Act, 1986

Why Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is Important?

Key takeaways:

• An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a systematic process used to evaluate the potential environmental consequences of a proposed project or development before a decision is made to move forward with it.
• The purpose of the EIA is to ensure that decision-makers consider the likely environmental effects when deciding whether or not to proceed with a project.
• The EIA process begins with screening, which determines whether a project requires a full assessment and, if so, to what extent. This is followed by scoping, which identifies the key environmental issues and concerns that need to be studied. Scoping helps to focus the assessment on the most significant impacts rather than trying to examine every possible effect in detail.
• Once the scope is established, the next step is to collect and analyze data to predict how the project might affect the environment. This includes studying various factors such as air and water quality, soil stability, biodiversity, noise levels, and potential social and economic impacts.
• The findings are documented in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or report, which outlines the potential effects—both positive and negative—as well as proposed measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for environmental harm.
• The EIA process also includes a public consultation phase. This allows local communities, stakeholders, and other interested parties to provide input, voice concerns, and suggest alternatives or additional safeguards. Including public opinion is a crucial aspect of ensuring that the assessment is transparent and considers a range of perspectives.
• After considering all the evidence, including the technical analysis and public input, the relevant authority then makes a decision. This may result in project approval, rejection, or the requirement for modifications to reduce environmental damage.
• Even after a project is approved, ongoing monitoring is often required to ensure that the environmental protection measures are implemented effectively and that unexpected impacts are managed.
• In summary, the EIA is a vital tool for promoting sustainable development. It helps prevent environmental degradation by ensuring that potential impacts are identified and addressed early in the planning process, rather than after damage has already occurred