Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and Approval
An environmental impact assessment is the study a Category A or B1 project must complete before it can get environmental clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006. The report is prepared by a NABET/QCI-accredited consultant, tested at a public hearing and appraised by an expert committee. We handle the filings and deadlines around it on PARIVESH 2.0.
What it is
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a study of what a proposed project will do to the air, water, soil, noise levels and people around it, and how those effects will be controlled. It ends in two documents: the EIA report and the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The appraisal committee reads them before it recommends whether the project should get environmental clearance.
The process is set by the EIA Notification, 2006, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It remains the governing notification, amended many times. The draft EIA Notification 2020 was never finalised. Para 13 allows only consultant organisations accredited with the Quality Council of India (QCI) or its National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), for that sector and category, to prepare the EIA report and EMP. All filings go through PARIVESH 2.0 at parivesh.nic.in.
Who it applies to
Central projects need a full EIA
Category A projects, appraised by the MoEFCC, need a full EIA and, unless exempt, a public hearing. A Category B project within 5 km of a protected area, critically polluted area, eco-sensitive area or state boundary is also treated as Category A.
State B1 projects follow the same path
At screening, the State Expert Appraisal Committee sorts Category B projects. Those that need an EIA report are B1 and follow the same path at the state level, before SEIAA.
Expansions may need a fresh study
Think of a Faridabad cement grinding unit that wants to add a second line beyond its EC capacity. It applies in Form 1. Under para 7(ii) the committee decides within 60 days whether a fresh EIA and public consultation are needed.
Why it matters
Win the EC on the report
The committee recommends approval or rejection on the strength of the EIA report and the hearing record. A thin report draws queries, and every round of queries costs weeks.
Promise only what you can deliver
Commitments in the EMP usually turn into EC conditions. Whatever you promise there, you will report against for years.
Keep every number honest
Under para 8(vi), concealing facts or giving false data can lead to rejection, and to cancellation of an EC already granted.
What goes into an EIA report
| Part | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Project description | Process, capacity, raw materials, water and power needs, layout |
| Baseline environment | Existing air, water, soil, noise, ecology and social conditions, measured on site |
| Impacts and mitigation | Predicted effects during construction and operation, and how each will be controlled |
| Alternatives | Other sites or technologies considered |
| Monitoring programme | What will be measured after start-up, and how often |
| Environmental Management Plan | Pollution control, green belt, waste handling, budget and responsibilities |
| Summary EIA | A short version in the Appendix IIIA format for the public hearing |
Documents required
For the application
- Form 1 with project details
- Pre-feasibility report
- Proposed terms of reference
- Location map, layout and land documents
For the EIA study
- Process flow and material balance
- Water and energy balance
- Pollution control equipment details
- Baseline monitoring reports from an accredited laboratory
From the company
- Board resolution authorising the signatory
- Incorporation documents and PAN
- Existing HSPCB consents and EC, for expansions
- Your factory licence, if the plant is already running
- Consultant’s accreditation details
How it works
Choose an accredited consultant
We check that the consultant is accredited with NABET/QCI for your sector and category before you sign. The consultant also appears before the committee, so this choice matters.
File Form 1 and fix the ToR
We file Form 1 and the pre-feasibility report on PARIVESH. Standard ToR published by the Ministry are deemed approved; the committee may add more within 30 days.
Run the study and draft the EIA
The consultant collects baseline data on site and drafts the EIA report and EMP strictly against the ToR. In practice, the gaps that cause trouble are on the plant side: missing water balances or vague equipment specs. We feed in project data and keep track of drafts.
Hold the public hearing
HSPCB conducts it in Haryana, within 45 days of the request and with at least 30 days for public responses. Here is the catch: people living near a site in, say, Palwal district are likely to ask about groundwater and dust, so have answers ready before the day. The summary EIA goes on the authority’s and board’s websites within seven days of the request.
Submit the final EIA for appraisal
The final EIA, with hearing outcomes addressed, is appraised within 60 days. The decision follows within 45 days of the committee’s recommendation.
Timelines
Terms of reference
Within 30 days of the application being accepted, or immediately where standard ToR applies.
Public hearing
Within 45 days of the request to the state board, with a minimum 30-day notice period for responses.
Appraisal and decision
60 days for appraisal of the final EIA, then 45 days for the decision.
What happens if the EIA falls short
Months lost to queries
Gaps against the ToR draw queries from the committee, and the appraisal clock waits for your replies.
Rejection or cancellation
Para 8(vi) allows rejection for false or misleading data, and cancellation of an EC granted on that basis, after a personal hearing.
Penalty for starting early
Starting work before EC attracts a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, plus ₹10,000 a day while it continues.
Frequently asked questions
Does every project need an EIA report?
No. Only Category A and Category B1 projects under the EIA Notification, 2006 need a full EIA report. Category B2 projects, which include many building and construction projects, are appraised on Form 1 and supporting documents without an EIA. Projects not listed in the Schedule need no EIA at all, only the usual pollution consents. We check your project against the Schedule first, so you only pay for the study you actually need.
Who is allowed to prepare an EIA report?
Only a consultant organisation accredited with NABET under the Quality Council of India, for your specific sector and category, can prepare the EIA report and EMP. This is set by para 13 of the EIA Notification, 2006. We are not EIA consultants and do not prepare the technical study. We verify the consultant’s accreditation, coordinate project data and handle every PARIVESH filing for you.
What are terms of reference?
Terms of reference (ToR) are the list of studies and questions the EIA must answer. The committee fixes them within 30 days of accepting your application, and standard ToR published by the Ministry are treated as approved, so the study can start at once. The committee can still add specific points. Every item in the ToR must be answered in the report, and we track them line by line with your consultant.
Who conducts the public hearing?
The state pollution control board conducts the public hearing, which in Haryana means HSPCB. It must be completed within 45 days of your request, and the public gets at least 30 days to send responses. The summary EIA is placed on the authority’s and board’s websites within seven days of the request. We help you prepare the request, the summary documents and the replies to points raised at the hearing.
Which projects are exempt from a public hearing?
The exemptions under para 7(i) III include building, construction and township projects, Category B2 projects, projects inside approved industrial estates, modernisation of irrigation projects and projects concerning national defence and security. An exempt project may still need an EIA report. The appraisal committee looks at its documents without a hearing. We confirm whether your project falls in an exempt class before we plan the timeline.
How long does the whole EIA process take?
On paper, the authority has 30 days for ToR, 45 days for the hearing, 60 days for appraisal and 45 days for the decision. The study itself, including baseline monitoring, takes extra time that depends on the project and the consultant. Most delays come from incomplete reports and late replies. We keep the filing side ready in advance so the government clock is the only one running.
Is the EIA Notification 2020 in force?
No. The EIA Notification 2020 was released only as a draft and was never finalised. The EIA Notification, 2006, amended many times since, remains the governing law, and the Ministry keeps publishing unified versions with all amendments. Your EIA and application must follow the 2006 notification and the office memoranda issued under it. We track amendments so your filing matches the version in force on the day you apply.
Do we need an EIA for expanding an existing plant?
Possibly. If the expansion goes beyond the capacity in your existing EC, you apply in Form 1 under para 7(ii). The committee decides within 60 days whether a fresh EIA and public consultation are needed. Small changes may be cleared on the existing data. Tell us your current EC capacity and the planned increase, and we will map the likely route before you commit money to new equipment.
What is the Environmental Management Plan?
The EMP is the part of the EIA that says how you will control each impact: pollution control equipment, green belt, waste handling, monitoring, budget and who is responsible. Its commitments usually become conditions in the EC letter. You live with it long after approval. We read it with you before submission, so every promise in it is one your plant can actually keep.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
The accredited consultant’s fee for the EIA study and the laboratory’s monitoring charges are separate and paid directly to them.
Ready to begin?
Send us your project details and we will tell you whether an EIA is needed, which category applies and what the approval path looks like.