Thread by @yamunajiye

#Demystefying #EIANotification
Part III (PROCESS)
Today we consider the very 'soul' of d legal instrument called #EIANotification namely d #EIA #Report
An EIA Report is meant to be a thorough scientific document that a professional agency prepares after detailed investigations+

of d likely environmental impacts that d planned project / activity is anticipated to hv at d #site in #question.

Its (#EIA #report) quality wud depend on:
a) Competence of d agency involved
b) Independence of d agency
c) Transparency & inclusive nature of d exercise

The reality of an #EIA #report is that:

Right from #EIA1994Notification to #EIA2006 & now #DraftEIA2020 d #notification provides that it is d #ProjectProponent (PP) that shall #select & #commission the #EIAconsultant at its own cost & terms.

This provision alone+

+compromises hugely all d 3 namely #competence, #independence & #transparency / inclusiveness of d process of d preparation of EIA report as now d EIA consultant is at d mercy of d PP since there exists a #Master - #Servant relationship between them?
No wonder there is little+

to write home abt d quality of EIA reports which r full of wrong data, information, analysis & recommendations. Plagiarism & cut & paste is d order of d day.
For d only objective of an EIA Report is to justify willy nilly d project at d site in question.
Often unrelated+

Issues like d economic worth or employment generation potential of a project is highlighted over its environmental impacts. Case in point is the EIA report of #CWGvillage in river bed of Yamuna.
Since d terms of condition often of an #EIAconsultant involves+

final payment after award of #EC to d project, it is but natural that an #EIAconsultant remains captive to d whims of d PP.
So much so that d consultant is often obliged to defend d project at #PublicHearing as well as before d #ExpertAppraisalCommittee on behalf of d PP?

A scientific, professional exercise has been reduced to a piece of paper intended to procure an #EC in favour of the PP.
Any wonder why so few projects get rejected?
Clearly with a poor application of mind by d framers of d #EIANotification d #EIAReport, which is central to d+

entire process has become a victim of Huge #conflictofinterest between d PP & d #EIAConsultant.

So d first step in retrieving the #EIANotification in favour of #environment & in tune with art48A of d #Constitution & d preamble of Env Protection Act 1986 is to free+

d #EIAConsultant from d clutches of d #PP.
One of d key demands of all ppl agitating against d ills of #DraftEIA2020 must be that
#EIAConsultant must b decided & contracted by d #CompetentAuthority at centre & state & at no point shud she/he b obliged to d PP for any favours.

Modalities of how PP shall still pay 4 d services of #EIAConsultant can always be worked out since there wud b no EIA if d PP had not planned its project/activity in d 1st place?

Once this fundamental change in d #EIA process has been implemented then d question of ensuring +

+ d Competency of #EIAConsultant & fair play, transparency & inclusiveness of d exercise can b worked out & implemented.
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