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Environment in an Emerging Economy: The Case of Environmental Impact Assessment Follow-Up in India

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Large Dams in Asia

Part of the book series: Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research ((AAHER))

Abstract

This chapter provides an analysis of Environmental Impact Assessment follow-up in India. It argues that its use and particularly the application of its monitoring-evaluation-management component show a consistent decline. The chapter also argues that the judiciary is one of the key drivers of EIA follow-up in the country, apart from the regulatory agency and the community. The chapter identifies the instrumental role of environmental clearance in India, the market-friendly macro-political environment and the lack of institutional strengthening of regulatory institutions as the major causes of this decline.

Let us all accept the reality that there is undoubtedly a trade-off between growth and environment. In arriving at decisions to untangle the trade-off, three options present themselves – ‘yes’, ‘yes but’ and ‘no’. …The ‘but’ often takes the form of conditions that must be adhered to before, during the construction, and after the launch of the project. I believe that in laying down these conditions, we must strive for three things: First, the conditions must be objective and measurable, so that it is clear what is to be done and whether it has been complied with…

(Jairam Ramesh, Ex-Environment and Forest Minister, India (2010, p. 3)).

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Notes

  1. 1.

    To date, India has built around 5,000 ‘large dams’ (according to the definition of International Commission of Large Dams).

  2. 2.

    A part of the information here is based on interviews with South Asia Network of Dams Rivers and People (SANDRP), Kalpvriksh and Dhomiya Ganga Sangharsh Samiti, conducted in June 2009.

  3. 3.

    This is based on the review of various legal documents, which included a number of signed petitions filed by the people affected by the project and the project developer, accessed from the website of Himachal Pradesh High Court.

  4. 4.

    This is based on the review of various legal documents, which included number of writ petitions filed by the people affected by the project and the project developer, accessed from the website of Himachal Pradesh High Court.

  5. 5.

    This is based on interviews with some members of the community and a review of the legal documents submitted with Himachal Pradesh High Court.

  6. 6.

    The Shukla Committee found that in a 70 km long river basin, only a 3 km stretch of the river was found to flow on the original river bed, while the other 67 km of the river was diverted through the tunnels.

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Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the generous support of International Postgraduate Studies in Water Technologies (IPSWaT) for supporting the field research for this study. The author would also like to thank the many resource persons, interactions with whom have enormously helped the author in developing a better understanding of environmental governance in India. The author would like to thank an anonymous reviewer whose comments have significantly improved the chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Council on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW), Thapar House 124, Janpath, New Delhi, 110001, India

    Nirmalya Choudhury (Senior Research Associate)

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  1. Nirmalya Choudhury
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Correspondence to Nirmalya Choudhury .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Heidelberg University, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg, Germany

    Marcus Nüsser

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Choudhury, N. (2014). Environment in an Emerging Economy: The Case of Environmental Impact Assessment Follow-Up in India. In: Nüsser, M. (eds) Large Dams in Asia. Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2798-4_6

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