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Administrative Arrangements of EIA
The Impact Assessment Agency has the overall responsibility to administer, and enforce the provisions related to EIA. The Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) would be the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. To deal with projects of different sectors, three impact assessment divisions were constituted. Impact Assessment Division I (IA-I) is responsible for river valley projects; major irrigation projects and hydel power projects. IA-II is responsible for industrial projects, thermal power projects and mining projects. IA-III takes charge of ports and harbour projects; tourism projects; human settlements; projects in ecologically fragile areas; and communication projects. The Forest Conservation Division in the ministry examines projects that involve diversion of forestland for non-forest uses along with the IA divisions.
It is however, envisaged that various other government supervising and approving agencies would assist by ensuring that prescribed activities falling within their areas of jurisdiction undergo EIA prior to approval and implementation. The IAA if deemed necessary may consult a committee of Experts (Environmental Appraisal Committee) having a composition (constituted by the Impact Assessment Agency or such other body under the Central Government authorized by the Impact Assessment Agency in this regard) as specified in Table 2 (Schedule II of the notification) for some sectors like river valley, multipurpose irrigation and hydel power projects, industrial projects, mining projects, thermal power projects, and infrastructure projects. The appraisal committees consist of experts from varied disciplines like water resource management, pollution control, forestry, ecology, landscape planning. These specific groups and task force also appraise other major projects referred to the ministry. The Committee of Experts has the full right of entry and inspection of the site or, as the case may be, factory premises at any time prior to, during or after the commencement of the operations relating to the project.
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Expert committee for administering EIA
The composition of the Expert Committee for Environment Impact
Assessment is as follows
- Eco-system Management
- Air/Water Pollution Control
- Water Resource Management
- Flora/Fauna conservation and management
- Land Use Planning
- Social Sciences/Rehabilitation
- Project Appraisal
- Ecology
- Environmental Health
- Subject Area Specialists
- Representatives of NGOs/persons concerned with environmental
issues.
The ministry has also set up six regional offices for Post
Project Monitoring of Environment at Shillong, Calcutta, Chandigarh,
Bangalore, Lucknow, and Bhopal, to monitor and interact with
authorities of different regions. The project authorities report to
these regional centers every six months to confirm the
implementation of the stipulated safeguards. In case of poor
performance, the reasons are discussed with the state government
concerned and recommendations are made.
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