UPSC Mains 2020 GS3 Q7 — Environmental Impact Assessment
How does the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020 differ from the existing EIA Notification, 2006? (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- How does... differ
- Scope keywords
- draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020existing EIA Notification, 2006
- Implicit sub-parts
- What are the specific procedural shifts from the 2006 framework to the 2020 draft?
- How do the changes in public consultation and post-facto clearance affect environmental governance?
- What is the underlying logic behind the reclassification of projects and the reduction in compliance reporting frequency?
- Common pitfalls
- Spending too much time explaining what EIA is generally instead of focusing on the 'difference'.
- Failing to mention the controversial 'post-facto' clearance clause which is a primary point of divergence.
- Ignoring the specific reduction in the public notice period (from 30 to 20 days) as a concrete data point.
- Treating it as a critique only; missing the government's stated objective of 'ease of doing business' as a contextual point.
- Dimensions required
- Comparative analysis of timelinesLegal and Regulatory (Post-facto regularisation)Democracy and Participation (Public consultation changes)Administrative (Compliance reporting frequency)Project Categorization (Expansion of B2 list)
- Marks allocation hint
Spend 20-30 words on a brief introduction of the EIA evolution. Devote 100 words to a structured comparison table or bulleted list highlighting at least 4-5 key differences. Use the final 20-30 words to conclude with the balance between environmental protection and developmental ease.
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