What is EIA? How do you know that a Projects require EIA? The projects to be subjected to EIA are specified in the second schedule of EMCA and they include:
1. General
- An activity out of character with its surrounding.
- Any structure of a scale not in keeping with its surrounding
- Major changes in land use.
2. Urban Development including:
- Designation of new townships
- Establishment of industrial estates
- Establishment or expansion of recreational areas
- Establishment or expansion of recreational townships in mountain areas, national parks and game reserves.
- Shopping centers and complexes.
3. Transportation projects require EIA including:
- All major roads
- All roads in scenic, wooded or mountainous areas and wetlands
- Railway lines
- Airports and airfields
- Oil and gas pipelines
- Water transport
4. Dams, rivers and water resources including:
- Storage dams, barrages and piers
- River diversions and water transfer between catchments
- Flood control schemes
- Drilling for the purpose of utilizing ground water resources including geothermal energy.
5. Aerial spraying
6. Mining, including quarrying and open-cast extraction of:
- Precious metals
- Gemstone
- Metalliferous ores
- Coal
- Phosphates
- Limestone and dolomite
- Stone and slate
- Aggregate, sand and gravel
- Clay
- Exploitation for the production of petroleum in any form
- Extraction alluvial gold with use of mercury
7. Forestry related activities including:
- Timber harvesting
- Clearance of forest areas
- Reforestation and afforestation
8. Agriculture projects require EIA including:
- Large scale agriculture
- Use of pesticides
- Introduction of new crops and animals
- Use of fertilizers
- Irrigation
9. Processing and manufacturing industries including:
- Mineral processing
- reduction of ores and minerals
- Smelting and refining of ores and minerals
- Foundries
- Brick and earth ware manufacture
- Cement works and lime [processing
- Glass works
- Fertilizer manufacture or processing
- Explosive plants
- Oil refineries and petrol-chemical works
- Tanning and dressing of hides and skins
- Abattoirs and meat-processing plants
- Chemical; works and process plants
- Brewing and malting
- Bulk grain processing plants
- Fish-processing plants
- Pulp and paper mills
- Food processing plants
- Plants for manufacture or assembly of motor vehicles
- Plants for the construction or repair of aircraft or railway equipment
- Plants for the manufacture of tanks, reservoirs and sheet metal containers
- Plants for manufacturing batteries.
10. Electrical infrastructure including:
- Electricity generation plants
- Electricity transmission lines
- Electrical sub-stations
Pumped storage schemes.
11. Management of hydrocarbons including:
- The storage of natural gas and combustible or explosive fuels
12. Waste disposal including:
- Sites for hazardous waste disposal
- Sewage disposal works
- Works involving major atmospheric emissions
- Works emitting offensive odour
- Sites for solid waste disposal
- Natural conservation areas including:
- creation of national parks, game reserves and buffer zones
- Establishment of wilderness areas
- Formulation or modification of water catchment policies
- Formulation or modification of water catchment management policies
- Policies for the management of ecosystems, especially by use of fire
- Commercial exploitation of natural fauna and flora
- Introduction of alien species of fauna and flora into ecosystem
14. Nuclear reactors
15. Major developments in biotechnology
- Including the introduction and testing of genetically modified organisms
