Q.1. What do you mean by Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)?

 

Ans: Every human activity has some impact on the environment. However mankind as it is developed today cannot live without taking up these activities for his food, security and other needs. Consequently, there is a need to harmonies developments activities with be environmental concerns. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is one of the tools available with the planners to achieve the above-mentioned goal.

It is desirable to ensure that the development options under consideration are sustainable. In doing so, environmental consequences must be characterized early in the project cycle and accounted for in the project design. The objective of EIA is to foresee the potential environmental problems that would arise out of a proposed development and address them in the project’s planning and design stage. The EIA process should then allow for the communication of this information to:

• the project proponent;
• the regulatory agencies; and,
• all stakeholders and interest groups.

EIA integrates the environment concerns in the developmental activities right at the time of initiating for preparing the feasibility report. In doing so it can enable the integration of environmental concerns and mitigation measures in project development. EIA can often prevent future liabilities or expensive alterations in project design.

 

Q.2. What do you mean by Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)?

 

Ans: In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and clause  (v) of sub-section  (2) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, read with clause (d) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 and in supersession of the notification number S.O. 60 (E) dated the 27th January, 1994, except in respect of things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government directed that on and from the date of its publication the required construction of new projects or  activities or  the expansion or modernization of existing projects or activities listed in the Schedule to this notification  entailing capacity addition with change in process and or technology shall be undertaken in any part of India only after the prior environmental clearance from the Central Government or as the case may be, by the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, duly constituted by the Central Government under sub-section (3) of section 3 of the said Act, in accordance with the procedure specified in the notification number S.O. 1533 (E) date 14th September 2006.

 

Q.3. Which projects or activities required prior Environmental Clearance (EC)?

 

Ans: The following projects or activities shall require prior environmental clearance from the concerned regulatory authority, which shall hereinafter referred to be as the Central Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forests for matters falling under Category ‘A’ in the Schedule of notification number S.O. 1533 (E) date 14th September 2006 and at State level the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for matters falling under Category ‘B’ in the said Schedule, before any construction work, or preparation of land by the project management except for securing the land, is started on the project or activity: All new projects or activities listed in the Schedule to this notification;  Expansion and modernization of existing projects or activities listed in the Schedule to this notification with addition of capacity beyond the limits specified for the concerned sector, that is, projects or activities which cross the threshold limits given in the Schedule, after expansion or modernization;  Any change in product – mix in an existing manufacturing unit included in Schedule beyond the specified range.

 

Q.4. What do you mean by State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA)?

 

Ans: A. State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority:- A State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (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 to be nominated by the State Government or the Union territory Administration concerned.

B. The Member-Secretary shall be a serving officer of the concerned State Government.

C. The Chairman shall be an expert in terms of the eligibility criteria given in APPENDIX VI to the notification S.O. 1533 (E), dated 14th September 2006 in one of the specified fields, with sufficient experience in environmental policy or management.

E. The other member shall be an expert fulfilling the eligibility criteria given in APPENDIX VI to the notification S.O. 1533(E), dated 14th September 2006 in one of the specified fields. 

F. The State Government shall forward the names of the Members and the Chairman referred in sub- paragraph 3 to 4 above to the Central Government and the Central Government shall constitute the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority as an authority for the purposes of this notification within thirty days of the date of receipt of the names.

G. The non-official Member and the Chairman shall have a fixed term of three years (from the date of the publication of the notification by the Central Government constituting the authority).

H. All decisions of the SEIAA shall be taken in a meeting and shall ordinarily be unanimous. Provided that, in case a decision is taken by majority, the details of views, for and against it, shall be clearly recorded in the minutes.

 

Q.5. What do you mean by State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC)?

 

Ans: The State Expert Appraisal Committees (SEAC) shall screen, scope and appraise projects or activities in Category ‘B’ projects. The composition of the SEAC shall be as given in Appendix VI of the notification S.O. 1533(E), dated 14th September 2006.  The SEAC shall be constituted by the Central Government in consultation with the concerned State Government. The SEAC shall be reconstituted after every three years; The authorized members of the SEAC, may inspect any site(s) connected with the project or activity in respect of which the prior environmental clearance is sought, for the purposes of screening or scoping or appraisal, with prior notice of at least seven days to the applicant, who shall provide necessary facilities for the inspection. SEACs shall function on the principle of collective responsibility. The Chairperson shall endeavour to reach a consensus in each case, and if consensus cannot be reached, the view of the majority shall prevail.

 

Q.6. What do you mean by Schedule?

 

Ans: The Schedule means, Schedule of the notification S.O. 1533(E), dated 14th September 2006.

 

Q.7. What do you mean by APPENDIX?

 

Ans: The APPENDIX means, APPENDIX of the notification S.O. 1533(E), dated 14th September 2006.

 

Q.8. Where the application forms for obtaining prior environmental clearance will be available?

 

Ans: The application forms i.e.  FORM-1 and FORM-1A can be downloaded free of cost.

 

Q.9. What do you mean by ‘A’ Category and ‘B’ Category projects/ activities?

 

Ans: (i) All projects and activities are broadly categorized in to two categories - Category A and Category B, based on the spatial extent of potential impacts and potential impacts on human health and natural and man made resources. (ii) All projects or activities included as Category ‘A’ in the Schedule, including expansion and modernization of existing projects or activities and change in product mix, shall require prior 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 this notification.  All projects or activities included as Category ‘B’ in the Schedule, including expansion and modernization of existing projects or activities as specified in sub paragraph (ii) of paragraph 2, or change in product mix as specified in sub paragraph (iii) of paragraph 2, but excluding those which fulfill the General Conditions (GC) stipulated in the Schedule, will require prior environmental clearance from the State/Union territory Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). The SEIAA shall base its decision on the recommendations of a State or Union territory level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) as to be constituted for in this notification.  In the absence of a duly constituted SEIAA or SEAC, a Category ‘B’ project shall be treated as a Category ‘A’ project.

 

Q.10. Whether State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) for Tripura State have been constituted?

 

Ans: Yes, State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Tripura comprising of three members (including Chairman) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), Tripura comprising of seven members (including Chairman) nominated by Government of Tripura have been constituted by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India vide notification S.O. 1198(E), dated 17th March 2022.

 

Q.11. Where the Secretariat of State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) for Tripura State is located?

 

Ans: Tripura State Pollution Control Board, Paribesh Bhawan, P N Complex, Gorkhabasti, Agartala, Tripura, PIN-799006 is the Secretariat of State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) for Tripura State. The telephone nos. are as follows:- Telephone: - 0381-232-5421

Q.12. Where I have to submit application forms for obtaining environmental clearance of ‘B’ category projects/activities?

 

Ans: Duly filled application forms along with requisite documents for obtaining environmental clearance of ‘B’ category projects/activities may be submitted at the Secretariat of State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Paribesh Bhawan, P N Complex, Gorkhabasti, Agartala, Tripura, PIN-799006.