Subject: Environment & Ecology

Environmental NGOs and activists play a crucial role in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India by ensuring transparency, accountability, and environmental protection in the decision-making process.

Role of Environmental NGOs and Activists

Key Functions

• Public Awareness and Advocacy: Educating communities about potential environmental impacts and facilitating informed participation in public hearings
• Legal Interventions: Filing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) to challenge inadequate or flawed EIA reports
• Independent Review: Conducting scientific assessments to supplement or contest official EIA findings
• Community Mobilization: Organizing local communities and amplifying voices of affected populations
• Monitoring Compliance: Tracking adherence to environmental safeguards post-project approval

Four Key Examples

1. Narmada Bachao Andolan - Sardar Sarovar Dam

• Led by: Medha Patkar and NBA
• Impact: Challenged incomplete EIA regarding displacement and ecological damage to Narmada River ecosystem
• Outcome: Multiple reassessments conducted, World Bank withdrew funding, project modifications implemented

2. Vedanta Mining Project - Niyamgiri Hills, Odisha

• NGOs Involved: Survival International, Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti
• Details: Opposed bauxite mining on sacred tribal land of Dongria Kondh community
• Outcome: Supreme Court ruling in 2013 upheld tribal rights, local gram sabhas voted against the project, mining stopped

3. POSCO Steel Project - Odisha

• Organizations: Greenpeace India, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
• Concerns: Environmental degradation, displacement, and impact on coastal zones
• Result: Years of legal challenges and public protests led to POSCO's withdrawal in 2017

4. Sterlite Copper Plant - Tamil Nadu

• NGOs: Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG), environmental health groups
• Issues: Exposed violations in environmental clearances and public health risks
• Outcome: Plant closure due to sustained activism and public pressure

Environmental NGOs and activists serve as essential watchdogs in India's EIA process, ensuring that development projects prioritize environmental sustainability and community rights through legal advocacy, scientific scrutiny, and grassroots mobilization.