F.No. 22-83/2014-IA-III Government of India — THE ENVIRONMENT (PROTECTION) ACT, 1986

F.No. 22-83/2014-IA-III Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Impact Assessment Division Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Raod, Aliganj New Delhi-110 003 Dated the 7th October, 2014 CIRCULAR Subject: Seeking additional studies by EACs/ SEACs during appraisal of project beyond the Terms Of Reference (ToRs) prescribed under EIA Notification, 2006, as amended-regarding: Clause 7().II. Stage (2)-Scoping' of the EIA Notification, 2006, as amended, provides for Scoping of project as one of the stages of the environmental clearance (EC) process. As per this provision, the concerned EAC/SEAC recommends Terms of Reference (TORs) for Category A'/'B' projects for the preparation Of EIA and EMP reports: The TORs are site specific and should be comprehensive with a view to addressing all possible environmental concerns relating to the proposed project: 2 . It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that sometimes the EACs/SEACs, during the appraisal process, revisit the issue of the site of the project and/or seek additional studies on various issues which do not form part of the TORs. This, besides delaying the whole process, goes against the spirit of the EIA Notification 2006. This Ministry has been requested to issue instructions to EACs/SEACs on the subject: 3. The matter has been examined in this Ministry. The very purpose of introducing scoping stage in the EIA Notification 2006 was to guide preparation of site specific comprehensive EIA/EMP reports SO as to facilitate objective appraisal process As per the process defined under the EIA Notification, 2006, the project proporient provides the requisite information in Form-1/1A and makes presentation before the concerned EACISEAC based on which the EACISEAC makes recommendation about