EIA AS APPLIED TO WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Abstract

The urge for economic progress is common to any developing nation. Massive developmental activities are being undertaken in countries like India in the field of water resources to meet and satisfy the demands for higher standards of living of an ever increasing population. Developing countries are seized of planning and practice of steps towards achieving sustainable development. Sustainable development attempts to balance the often conflicting ideals of economic growth and protection of environmental quality. Present environmental crisis is due to paradigms of scientific materialism and economic determination due to consideration of quantitative growth as a major instrument of social policy. Guidelines for sustainable development involve adaptation of good strategies of utilization of non-renewable resources without restricting the options of the future generations, within the capacity of regeneration, applying precautionary principles by using Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and analyzing costs and benefits of development. Present dissertation work is aimed to understand the role of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Water Resources Projects to maintain socio-cultural and ecological environment of the project affected area, intact. The dissertation is structured into two parts. In the first part the first seven chapters deals with various components of EIA methodologies like identification, prediction and assessment of direct and indirect Environmental Impacts, Environmental Management Plan and Monitoring, Methods of EIA, Catchment area treatment plan, and audit trail. In part II, a case study has been taken titled EIA study for Tapoban Vishnugad hydroelectric project, District Chamoli, Uttranchal, Conclusions of the dissertation, scope of further study and Annexure containing questionnaire for environmental appraisal for river valley and hydroelectric projects as per Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF).