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Effectiveness and Challenges of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in India

PYQs

4

Articles

1

Momentum

13

Phase IFoundation

Background

Overview

Directly relevant to environmental governance, sustainable development, the role of regulatory bodies, public participation in environmental decision-making, and the critical analysis of policy instruments.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a crucial policy instrument in India designed to evaluate the potential environmental consequences of proposed projects, ensuring sustainable development by integrating environmental considerations into decision-making. However, its effectiveness is often hampered by procedural weaknesses, data deficiencies, and implementation gaps.

Phase IIStatic core

Facts & tables

Key facts

Omission of Species

The EIA for the Lohit River hydroelectric project omitted a critically endangered species (white-bellied heron) from its assessment.

Data Reliability & Scope

Concerns were raised about the reliability of baseline data, exclusion of important flora, fauna, cultural practices, and affected villages.

Compensatory Measures

Compensatory afforestation was proposed in a geographically and ecologically distant region (>1000 km away), deemed ineffective for complex ecosystems.

Ecological Complexity

The process often fails to capture the ecological complexity of biodiversity hotspots, necessitating a broader, basin-level assessment.

Reference table

Static syllabus anchors

TypeReference
Conceptual areaEnvironmental Governance
Conceptual areaSustainable Development

Reference table

Institutions & roles

BodyRole
Union Environment MinistryNodal ministry for environmental clearances and eia policy
Forest Advisory CommitteeStatutory body, reviews forest diversion proposals and eias
WAPCOS, Ltd.Public sector undertaking under ministry of jal shakti, often prepares eia reports
Ministry of Jal ShaktiParent ministry for wapcos, involved in water resource projects
Phase IIIExam lens

Prelims angle

Overview

Prelims angle: Statement-based questions

Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding

Quick revision

  • EIA aims to assess project impacts and ensure sustainability.
  • Challenges: Data gaps, species omission, inadequate scope (site-specific vs. basin-level).
  • Compensatory afforestation often geographically and ecologically mismatched.
  • Need for robust baseline data, public participation, and holistic assessments.
  • Policy exists, but implementation and oversight are weak.

Elimination traps

Authority vs ministry — It's important to distinguish between the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) which oversees EIA and grants clearances, and other ministries like Jal Shakti whose PSUs might prepare EIAs or execute projects.

Ministry sets policy; regulator often has quasi-judicial powers.

High-confidence PYQs

2020Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, what is the implication?

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2019Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participati...

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2017Conceptual understanding, Factual recall

In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply?

Environment & EcologyOpen question
2015Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Spe...

Environment & EcologyOpen question

Topic timeline

Environmental GovernanceSustainable Development
Prelims 2015· Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Spe...

Open question
Prelims 2017· Conceptual understanding, Factual recall

In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply?

Open question
Prelims 2019· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participati...

Open question
Prelims 2020· Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, what is the implication?

Open question

India’s rarest heron faces a silent end as new dam ignores its home

22 Jul 2026 · Examines the shortcomings of India's EIA process, using the Lohit River project as an example to illustrate issues like data gaps, species omission, inadequate compensatory measures, and the need for more holistic, basin-level assessments.

Read article

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