#gaheli

Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is a decision-making tool used to predict the environmental consequences of any development project. It can also be defined as a process meant for identification and assessment of anticipated impacts of a project on the environment. The project may be a new project or expansion/modernization of an existing project or an existing project opting for the change in product mix. The impacts may be positive or negative. Further, the impacts may be direct or indirect. If the impacts on the environment are positive, attempts are made to make them sustainable. If on the other hand, the impacts are negative, efforts are made to nullify the negative impacts by taking appropriate corrective measures. If the negative impacts continue to persist even after adopting corrective measures the project may not be allowed to proceed further.

An Environment Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) is a document often prepared by an environmental consulting firm managed by a group of specialized environmental analysts. The report is highly structured and provides in detail project description such as location, engineering design etc.; existing data about the environment in the project area and its vicinity, environmental impact evaluation of the Project, mitigation measures of the project which may be additional activities to prevent or minimal environmental damage cost of the project. Lastly, it contains monitoring program such as a program for air, water, soil and noise. The report is used as a tool in project decision making. Besides forecasting the environmental impacts, it prescribes mitigation measures for preventing and mitigating environmental impacts for projects or activities.