UNIT – 4

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA)

 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely

environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-
related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.

 UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the
environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It
aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design,
find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local
environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers.

# THE EIA PROCESS

EIA involves the steps mentioned below. However, the EIA process is cyclical with
interaction between the various steps.

 Screening: The project plan is screened for scale of investment, location and type of
development and if the project needs statutory clearance.

 Scoping: The project’s potential impacts, zone of impacts, mitigation possibilities and
need for monitoring.

 Collection of baseline data: Baseline data is the environmental status of study area.

 Impact prediction: Positive and negative, reversible and irreversible and temporary
and permanent impacts need to be predicted which presupposes a good understanding of
the project by the assessment agency.

 Mitigation measures and EIA report: The EIA report should include the actions and
steps for preventing, minimizing or by passing the impacts or else the level of
compensation for probable environmental damage or loss.

 Public hearing: On completion of the EIA report, public and environmental groups
living close to project site may be informed and consulted.
 Decision making: Impact Assessment Authority along with the experts consult the
project-in-charge along with consultant to take the final decision, keeping in mind EIA
and EMP (Environment Management Plan).

 Monitoring and implementation of environmental management plan: The various

phases of implementation of the project are monitored.

 Assessment of Alternatives, Delineation of Mitigation Measures and

Environmental Impact Assessment Report: For every project, possible alternatives
should be identified, and environmental attributes compared. Alternatives should cover
both project location and process technologies.

o Once alternatives have been reviewed, a mitigation plan should be drawn up for
the selected option and is supplemented with an Environmental Management Plan
(EMP) to guide the proponent towards environmental improvements.

 Risk assessment: Inventory analysis and hazard probability and index also form part of
EIA procedures.

# Salient Features of 2006 Amendments to EIA Notification

 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).

o 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.

o 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:

o Screening

o Scoping

o Public hearing
 o Appraisal

 Category A projects requires mandatory environmental clearance and thus they do not
undergo the screening process.

 Category B projects undergoes screening process and they are classified into two
types.

o Category B1 projects (Mandatorily requires EIA).

o Category B2 projects (Do not require EIA).

 Thus, Category A projects and Category B, projects undergo the complete EIA process
whereas Category B2 projects are excluded from complete EIA process.

Importance of EIA

 EIA links environment with development for environmentally safe and sustainable
development.

 EIA provides a cost effective method to eliminate or minimize the adverse impact of
developmental projects.

 EIA enables the decision makers to analyse the effect of developmental activities on the
environment well before the developmental project is implemented.

 EIA encourages the adaptation of mitigation strategies in the developmental plan.

 EIA makes sure that the developmental plan is environmentally sound and within the
limits of the capacity of assimilation and regeneration of the ecosystem.

Shortcomings of EIA Process:

 Applicability: There are several projects with significant environmental impacts that
are exempted from the notification either because they are not listed in schedule I, or
their investments are less than what is provided for in the notification.

 Composition of expert committees and standards: It has been found that the team
formed for conducting EIA studies is lacking the expertise in various fields such as
environmentalists, wildlife experts, Anthropologists and Social Scientists.
  Public hearing:

o Public comments are not considered at an early stage, which often leads to conflict
at a later stage of project clearance.

o A number of projects with significant environmental and social impacts have been
excluded from the mandatory public hearing process.

o The data collectors do not pay respect to the indigenous knowledge of local
people.

 Quality of EIA: One of the biggest concerns with the environmental clearance process
is related to the quality of EIA report that is being carried out.

 Lack of Credibility: There are so many cases of fraudulent EIA studies where
erroneous data has been used, same facts used for two totally different places etc.

 Often, and more so for strategic industries such as nuclear energy projects, the EMPs
are kept confidential for political and administrative reasons.

o Details regarding the effectiveness and implementation of mitigation measures are

often not provided.

o Emergency preparedness plans are not discussed in sufficient details and the
information not disseminated to the communities.

Challenges of Sustainable Urban Development

Urban sustainability is the goal of using resources to plan and develop cities to improve the
social, economic, and environmental conditions of a city to ensure the quality of life of
current and future residents. It's a monumental task for cities to undertake, with many
influences and forces at work.

Main Challenges to Urban Sustainability

There are six main challenges to urban sustainability. There is the matter of urban growth
that, if unregulated, can come in the form of suburban sprawl.
1. Suburban sprawl: Suburban sprawl is unrestricted growth outside of major urban
areas with separate designations for residential, commercial, entertainment, and other
services, usually only accessible by car. This is a challenge because it promotes
deregulated unsustainable urban development, conversion of rural and farmland, and
car dependency.

2. Waste disposal and sanitation: These are growing problems as urban areas continue
to grow. Improper waste disposal can lead to air, water, and soil pollution and
contamination. This could inadvertently decrease the quality of life for residents in
cities by creating unsanitary conditions which can lead to illness, harm, or death.
Waste management systems have the task of managing current and projected waste
processing.

3. Good air and water quality: In urban areas, it is a challenge to maintain good air
and water qualities as these resources are not only used more but are also vulnerable
to pollutants and contaminants. With poor quality, the health and well-being of
residents can be jeopardized, leading again to possible illness, harm, or death.
However, air quality and water resources can be protected through proper quality
management and government policy.
4. Climate change: It overall threatens cities and their built infrastructure.
Environmental disasters are more likely to occur with greater intensity; buildings,
streets, and facilities are more likely to be damaged or destroyed. The clean-up for
these can be costly to cities and unsustainable in the long term.
5. Energy use: It is of particular concern for cities, as it can be both costly and wasteful.
Fossil fuel energy (coal, oil, and natural gas) currently supplies most of the world's
energy, emitting carbon and other pollutants into the atmosphere that exacerbate
climate change and reduce air quality. Further, sprawling urban development and high
car dependency are linked with greater energy use and waste. Energy conservation
schemes are especially important to mitigate wasteful energy use.
6. Ecological footprint: The overall ecological footprint of cities is high and getting
higher. This is because as cities grow, more resources are needed for maintaining
economic conditions in a city. Sustainable management of resources and limiting the
impact on the environment are important goals for cities.
WATER CONSERVATION

Water Conservation is the practice of efficiently preserving, controlling and managing water
resources.

Water conservation has become essential in every part of the world, even in regions where
water appears to be enough. It is the most practical and environment-friendly approach to
lessen our need for water. Likewise, using less water puts less weight on our sewage
treatment facilities, which use ample energy for heating water.

Key Facts about our water:

Water is the most important natural resource that living things need. But at the same time, it
has also been misused and wasted. To better grasp the full significance of water conservation,
take a look at the few yet key facts about water:

 The average adult human body comprises 50-65 percent of water. They are averaging
around 57-60 percent. Infants have a higher percentage. Often around 75-78% water,
dropping to 65% by one year.

 The Earth has a limited amount of water. The water we have now is all we get, recycled
repeatedly. The water cycle can help you understand this condition.

 Water is the basic demand for every food. It grows our fruits and vegetable, and each
livestock consumes it.

 A plant's life is dependent on water. Plants help the ecosystem and produce the oxygen
necessary to keep us healthy. Trees are generally used for housing, paper, and much
more.

 Ninety-seven percent (97%) of all water on Earth is saltwater- which is not suitable for
drinking.

 Only three percent (3%) of water on Earth is freshwater. Only 0.5% is available and is
suitable for drinking.

 The other 2.5% of freshwater is found in glaciers, ice caps, the atmosphere, soil, or
under the Earth's surface or is too polluted for consumption.
Main reasons to conserve water:

 Conserving water saves energy. Energy is important to filter, heat, and pump water to
your home, so lessening your water use likewise decreases your carbon traces.

 Consuming less water keeps more in our environments and aids with keeping wetland
habitats best for creatures like otters, water voles, herons, and fish. This is particularly
significant during dry season periods.

 Conserving water can save you money. If you have a water meter, the less water you
use, the less your water company might charge you.

What are the Water-Related Problems?

The main problems with water are water shortage, shortages of clean water,
and waterborne diseases. A lack of safe water caused 80% of all deaths worldwide. More
than 5 million people die yearly from water-related diseases such as hepatitis A, dysentery,
and severe diarrhea.

Water Pollution

The causes of much of the pollution in rural areas are untreated sewage resulting from a lack
of toilets and sewers. Salts, fertilizers, and pesticides from irrigated land contaminate the
water and groundwater supplies and the saltwater entering overused aquifers. Places with
sewers often have no wastewater treatment facilities, while the sewage becomes dumped
right into the water supplies, a source from which people draw.

Agriculture-related pollution, such as fertilizer, pesticides, animal wastes, herbicides, salts

from evaporated irrigation water, and silt from deforestation, washes into streams, rivers,
lakes, ponds, and the sea. This agricultural runoff sometimes severs, creating "dead zones" in
coastal water zones.

Industry-related water pollution comes from mining and manufacturing toxic chemicals and
heavy metals. Power plant emissions then create acid rain that contaminates the surface
water.
Water Shortages

Many countries worldwide face serious water shortages, with its root not really about the
shortage of water but overpopulation. The worse one to know is knowing people living in
places where it is unfit for human habitation. Often, water shortages are local problems rather
than national ones. Water shortages are worse in areas with little rain or water and many
people.

METHODS FOR WATER CONSERVATION

There are numerous ways we can conserve water to benefit ourselves and the planet. The
following are various methods for water conservation that can be implemented to reduce our
water footprint.

1. Redistributing Water
Not only does redistribution of water reduce waste, but it also delivers water to areas
that need it during times of water shortages and drought. To redistribute water, excess
water storage collected from canals, irrigation systems, and pipes must be transported
and redistributed where necessary.
2. Modernizing Irrigation Methods
If the agricultural industry were to update to modern irrigation methods, they could
save thousands of gallons each year, making their systems more water-efficient.
Modern irrigation methods like drip irrigation reduce runoff waste and evaporation,
thus conserving water.
3. Grey Water Recycling
Grey water recycling is one of the easiest ways to conserve water. Essentially, grey
water recycling saves used wastewater from showers, kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks,
and washing machines to water plants, flush toilets, and water grass. If you use grey
water for these tasks, you can reduce by up to 70 liters of domestic potable water
usage.
4. Rainwater Harvesting
One of the most effective methods is to harvest rainwater to replenish groundwater
levels and conserve natural water. During this water conservation method, you will
collect rainwater and allow it to percolate into a reservoir or bottomless pit. When this
is done, the water seeps through the ground and improves the groundwater table.
 5. Installation of Water Meters
Consider installing a water meter at your home or business to reduce water wastage.
Water meters measure how much water is used and let you know when you have a
water leak which you can discern if your water bill is higher than usual one month. It
can also help you determine what you can do to use less water.
6. Increase Forest Cover
If we fight deforestation and increase forest cover by planting more trees, we can
reduce the amount of rainfall lost because of evaporation. Reducing the amount of
rain lost also helps to conserve groundwater.
Additionally, since trees are far more drought tolerant than other plants, we can
protect our water sources from disappearing by planting more trees alongside natural
reservoirs and river beds.

RAINWATER HARVESTING:
Rainwater harvesting is a simple strategy by which rainfall is gathered and stored for future
usage. The process involves collection and storage of rainwater with the help of artificially
designed systems, that runs off natural or man-made catchment areas e.g. rooftop,
compounds, rocky surface, hill slopes or artificially repaired impervious/semi-pervious land
surface. Water harvesting is the capture, diversion, and storage of water obtained from
different freshwater sources for plant irrigation, domestic purposes, industrial purposes,
groundwater recharge and other uses.
It can also be defined as the system of collection and concentration of rain water and its run
off and its productive use for
a) Irrigation of annual crops pastures and trees.
b) Domestic and livestock consumption.
c) Groundwater recharge.

Necessity of Rainwater Harvesting

The following reasons have led to the necessity of rain water harvesting:
i) Major parts of our country have been facing continuous failure of monsoon and consequent
deficit of rainfall over the last few years.
ii) Due to ever increasing population the use of ground water has increased drastically leading
to constant depletion of ground water level causing the wells and tube wells to dry up.
iii) To combat excessive heat waves during summer which create a situation similar to
drought in some areas.
iv) It is imperative to take adequate measures to meet the drinking water needs of the people
in the country besides irrigation and domestic needs.
v) Out of 8760 rainfall hours in a year, most of the rain in our country falls in just 100 hours
thus rainwater harvesting becomes a necessity.
Goals of rainwater harvesting
• Substitute ground water
• Reduce flood risk
• Reduce soil erosion risk
• Recharge ground water
• Improve living conditions

 TECHNIQUES OF RAINWATER HARVESTING

There are two major techniques of rainwater harvesting
1. Surface runoff harvesting: In this method, rainwater flows away as surface runoff and
can be stored for future use. Surface water can be stored by diverting the flow of small creeks
and streams into reservoirs on the surface or underground. It can provide water for farming,
for cattle and also for general domestic use. Surface runoff harvesting is most suitable in
urban areas. Rooftop rainwater/storm runoff can be harvested in urban areas through:
• Recharge Pit
• Recharge Trench
• Tube-well
• Recharge Well
2. Groundwater recharge: Groundwater recharge is a hydrologic process where water
moves downward from surface water to groundwater. Recharge is the primary method
through which water enters an aquifer. The aquifer also serves as a distribution system.
The surplus rainwater can then be used to recharge groundwater aquifer through artificial
recharge techniques. Rainwater in rural areas can be harvested through:
• Gully Plug
• Contour Bund
• Dug well Recharge
• Percolation Tank
• Check Dam/Cement Plug/Nula Bund
• Recharge Shaft
Although rainwater harvesting measure is deemed to be a desirable concept since the last few
years, it is rarely being implemented in rural areas. Different regions of the country practiced
a variety of rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge methods. Some ancient rainwater
harvesting methods followed in India includes Madakas, Ahar Pynes, Surangas, Taankas, etc.

 Advantages of implementing rain-water harvesting

• Reduced Water Bills: Rainwater harvesting systems are cost effective, provide high-
quality water, lessen dependence on wells and are considerably easy to maintain since they
are not utilized for drinking, cooking or other sensitive uses. The all-around expenditures
used in setting up harvesting methods are much cheaper compared to other purifying or
pumping means. The cost of recharge to the subsurface reservoir is also lower than the
surface reservoirs.
• Ecological benefit: Storing water underground is environment friendly. The ecological
benefits of rainwater harvesting are immense. It minimizes the impacts of flooding by
funnelling the off water into large tanks for recycling and helps reduce the load placed
upon drainage systems. No land is wasted for storage purpose and no population
displacement is implicated therefore, groundwater is not directly exposed to evaporation and
pollution. Additionally, it helps minimize the possibility of rivers drying up.
• Reduces erosion and flooding around buildings: It reduces soil erosion and flood hazards
by collecting rainwater and reducing the flow of storm water to prevent urban flooding. Most
buildings that utilize rainwater harvesting systems have a built-in catchment area on top of
the roof, which has a capacity of collecting large volumes of water in case of rainstorms.
• An adequate means for Irrigation purpose: Harvesting rainwater allows the collection of
large amounts of water and mitigates the effects of drought. Most rooftops provide the
necessary platform for collecting water. Rainwater is mostly free from harmful chemicals,
which makes it suitable for irrigation purposes.
• Reduces demand on Ground Water: Another vital benefit is that it increases the
productivity of aquifer resulting in the rise of groundwater levels and reduces the need for
potable water. It is extremely essential, particularly in areas with low water levels.
 Disadvantages of Rain-Water Harvesting:
• Complex constructions, there is a requirement for high costs, trained professionals.
• Maintenance costs may add to the monetary burden.
• If not maintained properly then it can cause various problems in terms of algal or bacterial
growth.
• Tanks if not constructed properly might result in leakages and metal tanks may also lead to
problems such as corrosion harming the water quality.
• All these factors might prove harmful and result in various kinds of health issues.
• The system is very much rainfall dependent and hence if there are problems with the rainfall
in the area, it may not be very effective.