A formality called EIA

Environment ministry invites comments to amendment that dilutes environmental clearance

THE latest amendment to the environment impact assessment (eia) notification that is supposed to expedite
environmental clearance for development projects, is now open for public comment. The eia notification, 1994,
mandated environmental clearance for all infrastructure and development activities but the new amendment proposes waiving such clearance for
some.

The union environment ministry justified the amendment saying it would streamline processes and clear the backlog of projects awaiting
approval. The amendment waives eia for projects that increase capacity or modernize infrastructure without
increasing pollution load and do not require additional land or water. Self-certification is enough to get a waiver. Environmentalist P R Arun of
non-proft Green Alternatives said it is a move to dilute the law and help the industry.

As per the amendment, consulting the public will not be required for certain township projects that decide to expand after obtaining
clearance--provided the expansion is less than 50 per cent of what is cleared. Projects that are delayed due to non-formation of state class='UCASE'>eia authorities will get exemption from scoping (ascertaining the scope of eia report and
the natural resources the project will affect) for three years after the amendment comes into effect.

"Earlier all such projects needed clearance from the Centre and this should have stayed," said P R Arun. He said for eia
to be relevant, independent mechanism is needed. The draft amendment was the subject of an rti
application by Manju Menon of the non-profit Kalpavriksh. The central information commission then directed class='UCASE'>moef to get feedback on the amendment from civil society groups.