{"id":52512,"date":"2023-02-16T12:26:43","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T06:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/?p=52512"},"modified":"2023-02-16T12:26:46","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T06:56:46","slug":"history-of-eia-and-environment-compliance-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/history-of-eia-and-environment-compliance-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"History of EIA and Environment Compliance in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>EIA and\nEnvironment Compliance in India began in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission\ndirected the then-Department of Science and Technology to investigate\nriver-valley projects from an environmental standpoint. This was later expanded\nto include projects that required clearance from the Public Investment Board.\nThese were administrative judgements. On May 23, 1986, the Government of India\npassed the Environment (Protection) Act. One of the decisions made to meet the\nAct aimed to make EIA statutory. Following the legal procedure, a notification\nwas issued on January 27, 1994, and was later revised on May 4, 1994, April 10,\n1997, and January 27, 2000, making environmental impact assessment mandatory\nfor 30 operations. This is the main piece of legislation that governs EIA and\nEnvironment Compliance in India. Aside from that, the Government of India\nreleased several notifications related to environmental impact assessment under\n<strong>the Environment\nProtection Act of 1986<\/strong><sup><a class=\"text-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indiacode.nic.in\/bitstream\/123456789\/6196\/1\/the_environment_protection_act%2C1986.pdf\"><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/history-of-eia-and-environment-compliance-in-india\/#Environmental_Clearance_Procedure_in_India\" >Environmental\nClearance Procedure in India<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/history-of-eia-and-environment-compliance-in-india\/#Major_Environment_Compliances_Laws_of_India\" >Major\nEnvironment Compliances Laws of India<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/history-of-eia-and-environment-compliance-in-india\/#Legislation_for_Environment_Compliance\" >Legislation\nfor Environment Compliance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/history-of-eia-and-environment-compliance-in-india\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Environmental_Clearance_Procedure_in_India\"><\/span>Environmental\nClearance Procedure in India<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The EIA\nprocess in India is made up of the following phases:&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Screening:<\/strong> The first stage of EIA is determining whether the proposed project requires an EIA and the necessary level of assessment.<\/li><li><strong>Scoping:<\/strong> The important issues and impacts that should be examined further are identified during this step. This stage also establishes the study&#8217;s boundaries and time frame.<\/li><li><strong>Impact analysis:<\/strong> This step of EIA identifies and forecasts the possible environmental and social impacts of the proposed project, as well as assesses its significance.<\/li><li><strong>Mitigation:<\/strong> In this level of the EIA process, actions are recommended to reduce and avoid the potential negative environmental repercussions of development activities.<\/li><li><strong>Reporting:<\/strong> At this point, the EIA results are presented to the decision-making body and other interested parties as a report.<\/li><li><strong>EIA review:<\/strong> It assesses the adequacy and efficacy of the EIA report and provides decision-making information.<\/li><li><strong>Decision-making:<\/strong> It determines if the proposal should be rejected, approved, or modified further.<\/li><li><strong>Post-monitoring: <\/strong>This stage begins after the project is commissioned. It ensures that the project&#8217;s consequences do not exceed regulatory limits and that mitigation measures are implemented as stated in the EIA report.<br>The environmental regulating authority&#8217;s efforts to protect and preserve India&#8217;s environment bear fruit. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the environmental regulatory bodies, including the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards, to strictly implement and consider the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index. With the rapid growth of the economy, substantial environmental challenges such as pollution control, waste management, natural resource conservation, climate change, and so on have arisen. The SEBI established the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), and requires reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors beginning with the next fiscal year.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Major_Environment_Compliances_Laws_of_India\"><\/span>Major\nEnvironment Compliances Laws of India<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main\nenvironmental laws in India are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules 2016;<\/li><li>Plastic Waste Management\n     Rules 2016;<\/li><li>Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016;<\/li><li>Solid Waste Management Rules 2016;<\/li><li>Air (P&amp;CP)\n     Act 1981.<\/li><li>Water (P&amp;CP) Act 1974;<\/li><li>E-Waste (Management) Rules 2016;<\/li><li>Batteries (Management &amp; Handling) Rules 2001;<\/li><li>Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2019; and<\/li><li>Hazardous and Other Waste Transboundary Movement Rules 2016;<\/li><li>Environment Impact Assessment Notification 2006.<\/li><li>Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972.<\/li><li>Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.<\/li><li>Public Liability Insurance Act 1991.<\/li><li>Biological Diversity Act 2002.<\/li><li>National Green Tribunal\n     Act 2010.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Multiple\npermits may be required depending on the sort of activity carried out by a\ncorporation. Companies\/industries must obtain site operations from\nenvironmental permit applications and statutory records and returns.\nCompanies\/industries must keep records of waste categorisation and inventory,\nlabelling on the hazardous chemical and hazardous waste containers, documented\ninformation about waste vendors, and the eventual fate of disposed of wastes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Noncompliance\nby these regulators will result in action and the imposition of penalties by\nthe Environmental Protection Act, the National Green Tribunal, and the courts.\nCompanies\/industries must have proper management, adequate knowledge of the\napplicable regulations, and an understanding of the actions required to\ndemonstrate compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nNational Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the environmental regulatory bodies\n(Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards\n(SPCBs) to aggressively implement and consider the Comprehensive Environmental\nPollution Index (CEPI). CEPI assigns weight to various contaminants, ambient\npollutant concentrations, receptors (the number of persons impacted), and other\nhigh-risk factors. The original CEPI assessment was carried out in 2009, but\nthe CEPI criteria was modified in 2016, and the final CEPI report was produced\nin 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following\nthat, the NGT directly oversaw the regulatory authorities&#8217; implementation of\nthe CEPI criteria. Under the CEPI, industrial clusters are now classified as\nPolluted Industrial Areas (PIAs), with each ranked as one of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A\n     critically polluted area (CPA).<\/li><li>A\n     severely polluted area (SPA).<\/li><li>Other\n     polluted areas (OPAs).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The CPCBs\nand SPCBs will now focus on remediating these CEPI zones and collecting\ncompensation from polluting companies and will refuse any new site expansion or\ndevelopment in these regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Legislation_for_Environment_Compliance\"><\/span>Legislation\nfor Environment Compliance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nprimary environmental laws in India, under which different key environmental\nlicences (or consents) are given, are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The Water\n(P&amp;CP) Act of 1974 (Water Act), which established the powers, functions,\nand hierarchies of the environmental agencies, CPCBs, and SPCBs.<\/li><li>Air (P&amp;CP)\nAct of 1981 (Air Act).<\/li><li>Environmental\nProtection Act of 1986 (EP Act). This umbrella law empowers the central\ngovernment to take any necessary actions to protect and improve the environment\nand avoid, manage, and mitigate the pollution.<\/li><li>Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972.<\/li><li>Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.<\/li><li>Public Liability Insurance Act 1991.<\/li><li>Biological Diversity Act 2002.<\/li><li>National Green Tribunal Act 2010.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>SEBI had\nannounced the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) in May\n2021, along with new reporting standards for environmental, social, and\ncorporate governance (ESG). The BRSR requests disclosures from listed firms on\ntheir performance on the nine principles of the National Guidelines on\nResponsible Business Conduct (NGBRCs), with reporting divided into essential and\nleading indicators for each principle. All the essential indicators must be\nreported on a mandatory basis, whilst the leadership indicators must be\nreported voluntarily (although listed entities should try to report these too).\nFiling of BRSR is compulsory for the top thousand listed businesses (by market\ncapitalisation) beginning with the fiscal year 2022-2023, replacing the present\nBusiness Responsibility Report (BRR) requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>EIA is becoming increasingly crucial in\naccomplishing the objective of sustainable development. Every industry is\nrequired to mandatorily meet the relevant environmental regulations. Indian\nlegislation addresses various environmental challenges ranging from air\npollution to waste management to coastal area contamination. The Indian\nconstitution is one of the few in the world with environmental conservation\nlaws and a specialised court\/tribunal. The gas leak at the Polymer Plant in Vizag\nwhich killed as many life was discovered to have been operating without appropriate\n<strong><a class=\"text-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/environmental-clearance\">environmental clearances<\/a><\/strong> for decades, jeopardising the sustenance of\nthe River Cauvery in the region- are certain occasions in which luck has not\nprevented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, it has always been the goal and intention of environmental legislation worldwide and in India to uphold and promote a balance between development and environmental preservation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-left\"><b>Read Our Article<\/b>: <mark style=\"background: #fffd03 !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/esg-reporting-is-it-mandatory-in-india\/\">ESG Reporting: Is It Mandatory In India?<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EIA and Environment Compliance in India began in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission directed the then-Department of Science and Technology to investigate river-valley projects from an environmental standpoint. This was later expanded to include projects that required clearance from the Public Investment Board. These were administrative judgements. On May 23, 1986, the Government of India [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":52513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2093],"tags":[3096],"acf":{"service_id":"571"},"authorName":"Suchandra Mukherjee","authorImageUrl":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MicrosoftTeams-image-52-1.jpg","authorDescription":"Suchandra is a 5th Year Law Student, pursuing Law from University of Mumbai. She has published 100+ Articles and Blogs on Legal Portals and International Multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journals. She is adept at legal research and can write fast SEO-friendly creative articles and blog posts on legal topics. She loves to paint and watch thriller movies in her free time.","postViews":3562,"readingTime":4,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52512"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52512"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52515,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52512\/revisions\/52515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}