INTERNSHIP REPORT

ON

Regulation of Environmental Impact Assessment in India:

Review of Impacts of Teesta Stage-IV Hydroelectric Project on
The Water Quality of Teesta River in Sikkim

AT

Centre for Inter-disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment,

University of Delhi

SUBMITTED TO DAYALBHAG EDUCATIONAL INSTITIUTE

DAYALBHAG, AGRA

In Partial Fulfillment of PG Diploma in Safety, Health and Environment

Submitted by: Maitri Verma

Under the supervision of

Dr. Jay Prakash Bhatt

Senior Scientist, CISMHE

University of Delhi, 110007

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Jay Prakash Bhatt (Centre for Inter-
disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment, University of Delhi) for allowing me to do
my internship under his supervision and support during the entire period of my internship.

I am extremely grateful to Mr. Arvind Kumar Negi (Research Scholar) for constantly helping me
throughout the internship.

I thank Mr. Basudev Bisht and other lab staff of CISMHE for helping me in the lab.
 CONTENT

CHAPTER-1

Regulation of EIA in India

The role and place of EIA

The purpose of EIA

History of EIA

Process of EIA in under EIA notification 2006

Environmental clearance

Categorization of project and activities under EIA Notification 2006

Validation

Accreditation

CHAPTER-2

Review of EIA report of Teesta stage-IV in Sikkim with special

reference to water quality

Introduction of the project

The scope of the study

Water quality of Teesta river during EIA

Impacts of dam construction on water quality of the river

REGULATION OF EIA IN INDIA

INTRODUCTION
“Environmental impact assessment, as a national instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed
activities that are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment...” — Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development (Principle 17)
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is defined as the systematic identification and
evaluation of potential impacts of proposed projects, plans or actions on physical, chemical,
biological, cultural and socioeconomic components of environment. It ensures that the
environmental implications of decisions on development proposals are taken into account before
the decisions are made. The aim of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to ensure that
potential impacts are identified and addressed at an early stage in the projects planning and
design. To achieve this aim, the assessment finding is communicated to all the relevant groups
who will make decisions about the proposed projects, the project developers and their investors
as well as regulators, planners and the politicians. Having read the conclusions of an
environmental impact assessment, project planners and engineers can shape the project so that its
benefits can be achieved and sustained without causing adverse impacts.
What is the objective of EIA?
The EIA objective is to ensure that necessary data concerning the decision
regarding the approval, rejection or change of the proposed project is obtained
for the decision-makers.

GOALS:
1. To ensure that eventual effects on the environment are considered before the
authorities in charge make a decision about the approval or initiation of
activities that could cause perceptible effects on the environment.
2. To encourage implementation of relevant procedures, in accordance with
national legislation and the decision-making process, that also enable the
given goal to be achieved in all countries.
3. To encourage the creation of procedures for information exchange, reporting and consultation
amongst countries in cases when the proposed activities may have cross-border environmental
effects in those countries.
THE ROLE AND PLACE OF EIA:
• EIA contributes to the planning and decision-making process by paying special attention to
environmental problems and ensures that all potential
impacts can be surveyed in a detailed and systematic way.
• EIA helps in making the appropriate decision by making insurance of the
development project in the first phase, and by providing information about
the potential impact that the project may have on the environment.
• EIA helps to prevent or limit the damage that the development project may
inflict on the environment.
• EIA gives a variety of possibilities, which enables easier decision-making
about the development programme.

THE PURPOSE OF EIA:

• Identification, estimation and assessment of important effects that the
planned project may have on the environment.
• Presentation of data on impacts in the report for the authorities responsible
for approving the realization of the project, as well as for the public.
Encouragement of authorities responsible for approving the planned projects to include
ecological elements in their decision-making process.
HISTORY OF EIA

EIAs commenced in the 1960s, as part of increasing environmental awareness. The USA was the
first country to enact legislation on EIA. In the United States, EIAs obtained formal status in
1969, with enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act. This was the first time that EIA
became the official tool to be used to protect the environment. The United Nations Conference
on the Environment in Stockholm in 1972 and subsequent conventions formalized EIA (Ogola,
2007). EIAs have been used increasingly around the world. EIA is one of the successful policy
innovations of the 20th Century for environmental conservation. 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 EIA process really took off after the mid-1980s. In 1989, the World Bank adopted EIA for
major development projects, in which a borrower country had to undertake an EIA under the
Bank's supervision (see table 1: Evaluation and history of EIA).

EIA IN INDIA

In India many of the developmental projects till 1980s were implemented with very little or no
environmental concerns. The environmental issues began receiving attention when a national
committee on environmental planning and coordination was set up under the 4th five-year plan
(1969- 1978). Till 1980, the subjects of environment and forests were the concern of the Dept of
Science and Technology and Ministry of Agriculture respectively. India has invested
considerable effort in implementing the universally accepted principles of Rio Declaration. In
one of its 27 principles, the Rio Declaration calls for environmental impact assessment (EIA) to
be undertaken for activities that are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the
environment (United Nations, 1992). As per its commitment India has instituted legal and
institutional framework for application of EIA as an important tool to achieve sustainable
development. However off late in the developing countries, the word sustainable development
has become synonymous with conflicting tradeoffs between achieving high economic growth
rate and preserving the resources for a sustainable future. Every country has to ensure that
sincere efforts are made to elevate the environmental clearance procedure of which the EIA is
the heart to an all-inclusive participatory decision-making exercise.

EIA in India was first started in 1977-78 with evaluation of river valley projects. This was later
extended to mining, Industries, thermal power, port and harbors, atomic power, rail and road
highways, bridges airport and communications, etc. Only in January 1994, the Ministry of
Environment & Forests (MoEF) issued a Notification on EIA of Development Projects. This
Notification listed 30 projects that required environmental clearance from the Central
Government. It also included - for the first time - Public hearing as a pre-requisite for clearing
large projects. The notification made it obligatory to prepare and submit an EIA, an Environment
Management Plan (EMP), and a project report to MoEF which had the option to consult a multi-
disciplinary committee of experts. The MoEF notified new EIA legislation in September 2006.
The notification makes it mandatory for various projects such as mining, thermal power plants,
river valley, infrastructure (road, highway, ports, harbours and airports) and industries including
very small electroplating or foundry units to get environment clearance. However, unlike the
EIA Notification of 1994, the new legislation has put the onus of clearing projects on the state
government depending on the size/capacity of the project.

Certain activities permissible under the Coastal Regulation Zone Act, 1991 also require similar
clearance. Additionally, donor agencies operating in India like the World Bank and the ADB
have a different set of requirements for giving environmental clearance to projects that are
funded by them.

PROCESS OF EIA UNDER EIA NOTIFICATION 2006.

1) Project description: Describes the proposed project and its geographic, ecological, social and
temporal context, including any off-site investments that may be required. Indicates the need for
any resettlement or social development plan.

2) Baseline Data: Describes relevant physical, biological and socioeconomic conditions,

including all changes anticipated before the project commences, within an area around the
project site. Under current regulations in India this is a radius of 10 or 25km of the site,
depending on whether the site is in the vicinity of sensitive areas such as National Parks,
sanctuaries, or archaeological monuments. Additionally takes into account current and proposed
development activities within the project area but not directly connected to the project.

3) Environmental Impacts: Predicts and assesses the project’s likely positive and negative
impacts in quantitative terms to the extent possible. Identifies mitigation measures and any
negative environmental impact that cannot be mitigated. Explores opportunities for
environmental enhancement

4) Analysis of alternatives: Systematically comparesfeasible alternatives to the proposed projects

site, technology, design and operation including the “without project” situation in terms of their
potential environmental impacts, the feasibility of mitigating these impacts, their capital and
recurrent costs, their suitability under local conditions and abatement.

5) Environmental Monitoring Programme and Environmental Management Plan: Describes

mitigation, monitoring and institutional measures to be taken during construction and operation
to eliminate adverse impacts, offset them, or reduce them to the acceptable levels.

6) Description of project costs and benefits

7) Consultation: Record of consultation meetings, including consultations for obtaining the

informed views of the project affected people (PAPs), local NGOs and regulatory agencies.
Disclosure also of the consultants that were engaged during the study.
8) Summary and conclusions covering the justification for the project and the approach to
mitigating adverse effects

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE

The process and requirements for Environmental Clearance, including definitions of whether
projects are required to get clearance at the Central or State level, are covered in the Ministry of
Environment and Forests’ (MoEF)

STAGES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE (EC) PROCESS

The environmental clearance process for new projects consists of four stages, some of which
may not be required for all projects. These four stages in sequential order are:

Stage (1) Screening (Only for Category ‘B’ projects and activities)

Stage (2) Scoping

Stage (3) Public Consultation

Stage (4) Appraisal

Screening stage

At the screening stage, which only applies for Category B projects, the State level Expert
Appraisal Committee (SEAC) reviews the application (Form 1) to determine whether the project
requires further environmental studies for preparation of an EIA report. This decision also
depends on the nature and location of the project. Projects are then further categorised according
to whether they require an EIA (Category B1) or not (Category B2).

Scoping stage

At the scoping stage, detailed and comprehensive Terms of Reference (TOR) addressing all
relevant environmental concerns for the preparation of an EIA report are determined. This is
carried out by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Category A projects and by the State-
level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) for Category B1 projects. Scoping is not required for
B2 projects.

Public Consultation stage

This stage involves consultation with project affected persons on the effects of the project. Public
consultation is required for all Category A and Category B1 projects, with some exceptions
including projects involving the expansion of Roads and Highways (see item 7 (f) of the
Schedule) which do not involve any further acquisition of land.

The concerns heard during the public consultation process must be addressed in the EIA report
and in the Environmental Management Plan.

Appraisal stage

This stage sees the overall and detailed scrutiny of the final EIA report, which will have been
presented to EAC or SEAC. The EAC or SEAC considers the environmental aspects of the
project and makes a recommendation to the Regulatory Authority on whether prior EC should be
granted or not.

EC process for existing projects

In the case of expansion, modernisation or changes to the product mix for existing projects the
EAC or SEAC will decide on the requirements for EIA and public consultation.

.
CATEGORIZATION OF PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES UNDER EIA NOTIFICATION 2006:

The EIA Notification, 2006 has categorized the projects into two categories(based on size and
capacity) namely; Category ‘A’ and Category ‘B’ based on their impact potential. Category ‘A’
projects are being appraised at the Central level (MoEFCC) while Category ‘B’ project at the
State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs). The SEIAAs have been
constituted by the Ministry for the purpose of appraisal of Category ‘B’ projects.

BROAD CATEGORY OF PROJECT WHICH COMES UNDER EIA.

Here is eight broad category of project that require environment clearance.

• Mining, extraction of nature resource and power generation (Mining, Thermal, River valley)

• Primary Processing (coal washeries)

• Material Production (Cement)

• Materials Processing (Refining industry)

• Manufacturing/Fabrication (fertilizer, Pesticides)

• Service Sectors (Gas Pipelines)

• Physical Infrastructure including Environment Services ( SEZs, Biotech Parks)

• Building/Construction project/Area Development project and Townships

These eight broad categories further divided into 39 sub categories.

APPRAISAL COMMITTEE
There are two types of appraisal committee for environmental clearance.

State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority:- A State Level Environment Impact
Assessment Authority hereinafter referred to as the SEIAA shall be constituted by the Central
Government under sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Environment(Protection) Act, 1986
comprising of three Members including a Chairman and a Member–Secretary and professional
or experts.

Expert appraisal committee:-In EAC environmental clearance from the Central Government in
the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on the recommendations of an Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC) to be constituted by the Central Government for the purposes of
2006.notification.

VALIDATION

1. TOR –The prescribed ToRs would be valid for 2 year for submission of EIA/EMP report
after public consultation where so required. This period will be extendable to 3rd year
based on proper justification and approval of ECA/SEAC, as the case may be’’(MoEF,
OM March 2010).
2. Baseline Data 3 year
3. Environmental clearance

River Valley Project -10 year

Mining Projects-30

Other Projects-5 year

Period may be extended for 5 years by RA

ACCREDITATION
  Office memorandom (December 2, 2009) to ensure the accreditation of EIA practitioners
by QCI – NABET
 It has become a part of EIA notification 2006 after july 19,2013
 NABET has issued 3 versions of accreditation schemes, viz. January 2010, August 2011
and June 2015 (NABET 2015)
 Accrediation scheme of NABET covers all projects include in the list of MoEF&CC’s
notification 2006
 NABET assesses the 6 parameters, viz. human resource, field investigation and
laboratory requirement, quality management system, quality of EIA report, organizational
commitment, compliance to conditions of accreditation within a consultant organization

 Human resources; Coordination, Functional area expert 12 functional area

 Core Functional area
 Singnificant Functional area

Review of Environment Impact Assessment of TEESTA stage IV

H.E.Project, Sikkim with special reference to water quality.
INTRODUCTION

Teesta Stage-IV Hydroelectric project one of the many H.E project proposed on Teesta river.
The project is proposed between Teesta stage III H.E project (under construction) and Teesta
Stage-V H.E project which has already been commissioned. The project is located in Mangan
subdivision of north district. The Teesta H.E project (stage-IV) envisages utilization of gross head
of 165.50 m by construction of concrete gravity dam at a location near village Chandey and
Hee-Gythang just downstream of the confluence of Runchu near village Phidang in the north
district of Sikkim. The project envisages construction of a 65 m high concrete dam (above river
bed level) withn a gross storage capacity of 18.60m Mcum and surface area of 84.04 ha ( at 755
FRL). The dam site is situated at 77 Kms from Gangtok and 148 Kms from Siliguri via Singtam.
The Reservoir at dam site and power station is connected by about 6650m long two Nos. 8m
dia horseshoe shaped Headrace tunnel. This is a run-off the river hydropower scheme.

THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY

EIA (Environment Impact assessment) study of the proposed Teesta stage-IV HE project was
conducted according to the revised terms of reference (TOR) define by the expert appraisal
committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of india. The project area
in this study refers to the direct impact area (within 10km radius of the dam site and
powerhouse) and indirect impact area (catchment area of the project from dam site and
powerhouse site).

WATER QUALITY

Water quality degradation is one of the major concerns associated with developing
hydroelectric facilities. The degradation in the quality of water that flows through hydroelectric
dams and is held in hydroelectric reservoirs is a major concern as it effects a wide range of plant
and animal life. In general, the variety of negative impacts hydroelectric facilities have on water
are a type of water pollution.

Drinking water specification: IS: 10500, 1992 (reaffirmed 1993)

Parameter Desirable limit Permissible limit

pH 6.5-8.5 No Relaxation
Turbidity (NTU) 5.00 10.00
Total hardness (mg/l) 300.00 600.00
Chlorides (mg/l) 250 1000.00
Total dissolved solids (mg/l) 500.00 2000.00
Calcium (mg/l) 70.00 200.00
Alkalinity (mg/l) 200.00 600.00
Nitrates (mg/l) 45.00 100.00
Iron (mg/l) 0.30 1.00
Mercury (mg/l) 0.001 No Relaxation
Cadmium (mg/l) 0.01 No Relaxation
Copper (mg/l) 0.05 1.50

WATER QUALITY OF RIVER TEESTA AT THE TIME OF EIA

The surrounding of the project area was sparsely populated. The major town-Mangan located
on the left bank inhabits a total human population of only 1248 individual. Thus, anthropogenic
activities do not pose serious threat to the water quality of Teesta river at this site. The state of
physical (including taste, colour and odour), chemical and biological characteristics and the
presence of pollution intolerant biotic taxa in majority confirmed that the water quality of
Teesta river was good at these sites. Comparing with Indian standard on water quality BIS
10500;1992 concentration of various parameters is considerably low in Teesta river water. In
monsoon season river discharge increase greatly and carries high silt and the river water gets
turbid and washes out major biota from the river. Though the water quality of the river was
found to be fairly good, the local people do not use river water for drinking purposes.

River water quality is governed primarily by the climatic conditions of the watershed in addition
to it. it is largely affected by the forest cover and the predominant land use in the catchment.
The physical and chemical factors interact with each other and distribution of organisms and
the overall water quality.

The analysis shows that water turbidity peeked during monsoon season in Teesta river water
temperature is one of the most significant factors monsoon season,PH of the river water was
recorded in alkalinity range pH also controls amount of dissolved ions present in the waters
Teesta water recorded high concenteations of dissolved oxygen is generally negatively
correlated with temperature. The Main sources of TDS in river water were soil and arial
particles.
Recorded water quality parameters in Teesta river at various mentioned locations

Physical and Chemical characteristics of river Teesta stage IV H.E.project  

 
power house site
Dam site (W2) UPSTREAM SITE (W3)
  (W1)
po Po Po
PrM M W PrM M W PrM M
Characteristics M M M
Water current 1.1
velocity(m/s) 2.18 3.3 1.28 1.83 1.49 2.17 0.9 1 1.3 1.5 1.5
Turbidity(ntu) 51 75 10 7 55 69 4 9 44 62 3
Water
Temperature 15.6 18. 14.6 15.3 9.9
(⁰c) 7 7 13.5 10 7 3 15 5 12 14.5 12
8.1
pH 7.98 8.1 6.9 8 8.03 8.07 7 1 7.3 7 8
0.5 1.7
BOD(mg.l) 1.44 6 4.1 2.22 1.56 1.12 1.25 8 1.36 0.8 1.12
Dissolved 10.2 11.1 11. 11.3
oxygen (mg/l) 1 11 10 5 10.5 10.6 10.2 2 8 11.3 11.5
E.conductivity 47.6 44. 78.6 50.3 82.
(s/cm) 7 3 65.2 7 3 49 48.5 1 54.6 52 50
Salinity(mg/l) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0
Total dissolved 72.
solids (mg/l) 30 27 42 60 40 32 42 5 42 34 45
Tatal
alkalinity(mg/l) 22 22 26.4 30 24 24 23 30 32 20.4 27.6
Total hardness
(mg/l) 40 44 56.2 60 40 44 52 46 38 38 43
12.3
Ca++(mg/l) 12.8 16 18.8 20.8 12.8 16 18.4   11.2 5 15.2
0.9
Mg++(mg/l) 1.94 7 2.1 1.94 1.94 0.97 1.4   0.77 0.77 1.21
8.5
Chloride(mg/l) 7 1 7.37 5 6 8.51 8.1 4.5 6.1 7.75 6.52
0.1 0.0
Nitrate (mg/l) 0.08 2 0.08 0.19 0.06 0.15 0.13 7 0.05 0.13 0.1
Phosphate(mg/l 0.0 0.0
) 0.02 1 0.04 0.04 0.08 0.05 0.12 3 0.04 0.03 0.07
Dissolved 0.0
iron(mg/l) 0.1 5 0.05 0.1 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.1 0.1 0.05 0.1
LIKELY IMPACTS OF TEESTA-IV HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT ON WATER QUALITY OF TEESTA RIVER

Running water has a self-purifying capacity, which is directly related to its regime. After the
reduction in discharge the river water loses its capacity of self-purification due to change in
flow velocity and chemical composition. Shallowness of water column downstream of the
reservoir, during lean season, would increase the water temperature, which would affect the
dissolved oxygen contents adversely. After reduction of water discharge in downstream the
high concentration of BOD, total alkalinity, TDS and coliforms are anticipated due to low
dilution of effluents whereas river waters become soft. Creation of a large reservoir would lead
to retention of silt; therefore, downstream section would have low turbid waters and low water
current velocity. Such changes in the physical and chemical characteristics might lead to change
in the biological communities of the river. For instance, density of chironomids increase due to
low concentration of oxygen.

In this Study it is also found that the tunnel alignment is likely to affect the groundwater
recharge, resulting in the reduction of ground water recharge and adverse consequences on the
discharge of natural springs. There are a number of villages in the area, particularly in the
downstream section which are dependent on the natural springs for drinking water purposes.
These important and critical water sources may be affected adversely during tunneling process
of the head race tunneling and other underground excavation works.

Environment Management Plan (EMP) included various management plans like cathment area
treatment, biodiversity conservation soil waste, disaster management plan in view the total
management plan is around 8265.92 lakh which is approximately 2.30 per cent of the total cost
of the project