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Comparative Study | Law | Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026 | Pages: 1405 - 1411 | India
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reforms in India: Legal and Policy Analysis
Abstract: An essential regulatory tool that promotes sustainable development while reducing ecological harm is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which incorporates environmental factors into development planning and decision-making. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, infrastructure development, and increased resource exploitation in India have sped up economic growth, but they have also made pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate-related issues worse. In light of this, the EIA framework uses scientific evaluation, public involvement, and preventive decision-making to strike a balance between environmental preservation and developmental goals. This paper explores the development of India?s environmental impact assessment (EIA) framework, beginning with its legal basis in the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, followed by the introduction of the EIA Notification in 1994, and the major revisions brought by the 2006 Notification. It examines ongoing issues such as delays in approval processes, insufficient environmental evaluations, limited public participation, poor monitoring after project clearance, and uneven enforcement of regulations. Additionally, the study emphasizes how the Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal have played crucial roles in advancing environmental governance by upholding key principles like sustainable development, the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle, and the public trust doctrine. The paper concludes by examining current discussions on reforming environmental impact assessment (EIA) in light of climate commitments, biodiversity protection, sustainable infrastructure development, and the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the importance of establishing an environmental clearance process that is transparent, grounded in sound science, and subject to accountability.
Keywords: Environmental Impact Assessment, Sustainable Development Goals, Environmental Sustainability, Pollution-free Environment, Biodiversity Protection
How to Cite?: Deepmeera, "Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reforms in India: Legal and Policy Analysis", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1405-1411, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26716155416, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26716155416