Environmental impact assessment procedure for surface mining projects in India - a status review

In India, the present system of granting environmental clearance to mining projects has been introduced from early 1982. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has constituted four Environmental Appraisal Committees (EACs) to comment on the environmental impact of large development projects. The mining EAC has representatives from various Government Departments. The Committee has an advisory status only, and makes its recommendations to the Department of Environment, Forests and Wildlife. In fact the requirement of getting an environmental clearance is based on administrative instructions of the Public Investment Board to which the public sector organizations have to apply for getting sanction of fund for new large projects or extension of projects. Another route through which projects get referred to the mining EAC is from the Forestry Wing of the Department of Environment, Forests and Wildlife when request for release of forest land for mining purposes is received by that wing.