EIA-Terminologies
The term EIA refers to the anticipation of various impacts of a project that will have on the environment and the
local community. It is a decision making tool, which guides decision makers in taking appropriate decisions prior to
sanctioning clearance of a project. EIA is an iterative process. The key stages in the process include proposal
identification, screening, scoping, impact assessment, mitigation, review, decision making and follow up. EIA is
integrated into the project development process and is not seen as a barrier to development.
Depending on the types of project and severity of impact, generally two types of EIA are conducted.