Answer

Introduction

EIA under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 serves as a crucial tool for balancing development with ecological sustainability. In India, its effectiveness is often shaped not just by institutional mechanisms but also by participatory vigilance driven by environmental NGOs and activists, watchdogs in the EIA process, ensuring transparency, ecological justice, and community participation. 

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Role of Environmental NGOs and activists in influencing EIA outcomes

• Facilitating public awareness and participation: They educate affected communities about the implications of projects and mobilize them to participate in EIA public hearings.
  Eg: Kalpavriksh, a non-profit environmental organisation, played a key role in raising awareness among local communities during the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project
• Exposing deficiencies in EIA reports: Activists critically assess EIA documents and highlight instances of data manipulation or insufficient ecological assessment.
  Eg: In the Vedanta-Niyamgiri mining case, activists exposed, ignored tribal rights in the EIA. 
• Post-clearance monitoring: NGOs track compliance with environmental safeguards and report violations, ensuring long-term accountability of project developers.
  Eg: Environment Support Group (ESG) highlighted violations in Bengaluru’s Peripheral Ring Road Project, pushing authorities to reassess compliance.
• Conducting parallel EIAs and fact-finding missions: Some NGOs conduct independent ecological and social assessments to counter biased official reports.
  Eg: SANDRP conducted an independent review of the Ken-Betwa River Link, exposing threats to Panna Tiger Reserve biodiversity.
• Building expert-scientific coalitions: They collaborate with ecologists, lawyers, and scientists to build evidence-based critiques of faulty EIA processes.
• Legal activism and PILs: NGOs and activists use judicial forums to challenge EIA violations and seek stay orders or stricter environmental compliance.
  Eg: In the Sterlite Copper plant case (Thoothukudi), activists supported PILs against pollution, leading to its closure.
• Policy-level advocacy: They lobby for stronger EIA norms and oppose dilution of provisions, such as those proposed in the 2020 Draft EIA Notification.
• Internationalizing local concerns: Activists link domestic EIA issues to global platforms and human rights concerns, drawing international scrutiny and pressure

Four examples of Influence of Environmental NGOs and Activists in EIA Processes

1. Niyamgiri Bauxite Mining Project (Odisha)

• NGOs/Activists: Survival International, Amnesty International, Dongria Kondh tribe (PVTG).
• Project: Vedanta-Orissa Mining Corporation Ltd (OMC) joint venture sought to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills
• Role: Activists highlighted deforestation, biodiversity loss, and tribal rights violations.
• Outcome: The Supreme Court acknowledged the tribe’s cultural, religious, and spiritual rights, empowering the Gram Sabha to assess potential violations caused by the project.

2. Mumbai Coastal Road Project (Maharashtra)

• NGOs/Activists: Vanashakti and the Conservation Action Trust 
• Project: Coastal road threatening marine ecosystems and fisherfolk.
• Role: Filed petitions on flawed EIAs, lack of consultation, and environmental impact.
• Outcome: Bombay High Court halted construction in 2019 due to improper clearances and called for a more thorough environmental evaluation.

3. POSCO Steel Plant (Odisha)

• NGOs/Activists: Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Greenpeace India.
• Project: $12 billion steel plant with deforestation and displacement risks.
• Role: Protests and legal challenges over inadequate EIAs and community displacement.
• Outcome: Environmental clearance suspended; POSCO withdrew from the project in 2017, citing environmental and regulatory difficulties.

4. Aarey Forest Metro Car Shed (Mumbai)

• NGOs/Activists:  Save Aarey Movement and Vanashakti 
• Project: Construction of a metro car shed in the Aarey Forest, Mumbai
• Role: Highlighted flawed EIA reports that underestimated the project’s impact on biodiversity and the livelihoods of indigenous communities.
• Outcome: Maharashtra government halted the construction in 2019. In 2020, the newly elected state government decided to relocate the metro car shed to an alternative site, saving around 800 acres of Aarey’s green cover.

Conclusion

Environmental NGOs and activists ensure that development respects both ecology and equity. By amplifying marginalized voices and promoting transparency, they uphold environmental justice and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). Their sustained engagement in the EIA process fosters accountable governance, ensuring that progress does not compromise sustainability or the rights of vulnerable communities.

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