COMPONENTS OF EIA

Depending on nature, location and scale of the project EIA report should contain all
or some of the following components.
Air Environment
Noise Environment
Water Environment
Biological Environment
Land Environment
Socioeconomic and Health Environment
Risk Assessment
Environment Management Plan

Air Environment
Determination of impact zone (through a screening model) and developing
a monitoring network
Monitoring the existing status of ambient air quality within the impacted
region (7-10 km from the periphery) of the proposed project site
Monitoring the site-specific meteorological data, viz. wind speed and
direction, humidity, ambient temperature and environmental lapse rate
Estimation of quantities of air emissions including fugitive emissions from the
proposed project
Identification, quantification and evaluation of other potential emissions
(including those of vehicular traffic) within the impact zone and estimation of
cumulative of all the emissions/impacts

Prediction of changes in the ambient air quality due to point, line and areas
source emissions through appropriate air quality models
Evaluation of the adequacy of the proposed pollution control devices to meet
gaseous emission and ambient air quality standards
Delineation of mitigation measures at source, path ways and receptor

Noise Environment
Monitoring the present status of noise levels within the impact zone, and
prediction of future noise levels resulting from the proposed project and
related activities including increase in vehicular movement
Identification of impacts due to any anticipated rise in noise levels on the
surrounding environment
Recommendations on mitigation measures for noise pollution

Water environment
Study of existing ground and surface water resources with respect to quantity and
quality within the impact zone of the proposed project
Prediction of impacts on water resources due to the proposed water use/pumping on
account of the project
Quantification and characterization of waste water including toxic organic, from the
proposed activity
Evaluation of the proposed pollution prevention and wastewater treatment system
and suggestions on modification, if required

Prediction of impacts of effluent discharge on the quality of the receiving water

body using appropriate mathematical/simulation models
Assessment of the feasibility of water recycling and reuse and delineation of
detailed plan in this regard

Biological Environment
Survey of flora and fauna clearly delineating season and duration.
Assessment of flora and fauna present within the impact zone of the project
Assessment of potential damage to terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna
due to discharge of effluents and gaseous emissions from the project
Assessment of damage to terrestrial flora and fauna due to air pollution, and
land use and landscape changes

Assessment of damage to aquatic and marine flora and fauna

(including commercial fishing) due to physical disturbances and
alterations
Prediction of biological stresses within the impact zone of the
proposed project
Delineation of mitigation measures to prevent and / or reduce
the damage.

Land Environment
Studies on soil characteristics, existing land use and topography, landscape and
drainage patterns within the impact zone
Estimation of impacts of project on land use, landscape, topography, drainage and
hydrology
Identification of potential utility of treated effluent in land application and
subsequent impacts
Estimation and Characterisation of solid wastes and delineation of management
options for minimisation of waste and environmentally compatible disposal

 Collection of demographic and related socio-economic data

Collection of epidemiological data, including studies on prominent endemic

diseases (e.g. fluorosis, malaria, fileria, malnutrition) and morbidity rates
among the population within the impact zone

Projection of anticipated changes in the socio-economic and health due to

the project and related activities including traffic congestion and delineation
of measures to minimise adverse impacts

Assessment of impact on significant historical, cultural and archaeological

sites/places in the area
Assessment of economic benefits arising out of the project
Assessment of rehabilitation requirements with special emphasis on
scheduled areas, if any.

Risk Assessment
Hazard identification taking recourse to hazard indices, inventory analysis, dam break probability, Natural
Hazard Probability etc.
Maximum Credible Accident (MCA) analysis to identify potential hazardous scenarios
Consequence analysis of failures and accidents resulting in fire, explosion, hazardous releases and dam
breaks etc.
Hazard & Operability (HAZOP) studies
Assessment of risk on the basis of the above evaluations

Preparation of an onsite and off site(project affected area) Disaster Management Plan

Environment Management Plan

Delineation of mitigation measures including prevention and control for each
environmental component and rehabilitation and resettlement plan.
Delineation of monitoring scheme for compliance of conditions
Delineation of implementation plan including scheduling and resource
allocation

Base line data/ environmental

settings

Improvement in the approach to select the monitoring network

Improvement in the approach to design the monitoring network
Improvement in the quality of Baseline data
Development of standardized data base format
Creation of a national data bank on environmental quality using GIS as
a tool.

Air quality
The pollutants in ambient air are Sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen,
oxidants, hydrogen sulfide , particulate matter, smoke and haze
Air pollutants are of two types (i)gaseous pollutants (ii) particulate pollutants
Gaseous pollutants are sulfur-dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide
Hazardous air pollutants are lead, mercury, cadmium etc

Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)

NOx is a collective term used to refer to two species of oxides of nitrogen:
nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
Globally, quantities of nitrogen oxides produced naturally (by bacterial
and volcanic action and lightning) far outweigh anthropogenic (manmade) emissions.
Anthropogenic emissions are mainly due to fossil fuel combustion from
both stationary sources, i.e. power generation (21%), and mobile sources,
i.e. transport (44%).
Other atmospheric contributions come from non-combustion processes,
for example nitric acid manufacture, welding processes and the use of
explosives.

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

SO2 is a colourless gas. It reacts on the surface of a variety of airborne solid
particles, is soluble in water and can be oxidised within airborne water droplets.
The most important sources of SO2 are fossil fuel combustion, smelting,
manufacture of sulphuric acid, conversion of wood pulp to paper, incineration of
refuse and production of elemental sulphur.
Coal burning is the single largest man-made source of SO2 accounting for about
50% of annual global emissions, with oil burning accounting for a further 25-30%.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon Monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas that is slightly
lighter than air.
CO is an intermediate product through which all carbon species must pass
when combusted in oxygen (O2).
In the presence of an adequate supply of O2 most CO produced during
combustion is immediately oxidised to carbon dioxide (CO2).
However, this is not the case in spark ignition engines, especially under idling
and deceleration conditions. Thus, the major source of atmospheric CO is the
spark ignition combustion engine. Smaller contributions come from processes
involving the combustion of organic matter, for example in power stations
and waste incineration.

Ozone (O3)
O3 is the tri-atomic form of molecular oxygen. It is a strong oxidising agent, and hence
highly reactive.
Most O3 in the troposphere (lower atmosphere) is formed indirectly by the action of
sunlight on nitrogen dioxide - there are no direct emissions of O3 to the atmosphere. About
10 - 15% of tropospheric O3 is transported from the stratosphere where it is formed by the
action of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on O2.
In addition to O3, photochemical reactions involving sunlight produce a number of
oxidants including peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide, as well as
secondary aldehydes, formic acid, fine particulates and an array of short lived radicals. As
a result of the various reactions that take place, O3 tends to build up downwind of urban
centres where most of NOx is emitted from vehicles.

Volatile Organic Compounds

(VOCs)
VOCs comprise a very wide range of individual substances, including
hydrocarbons, halocarbons and oxygenates. All are organic compounds and of
sufficient volatility to exist as vapour in the atmosphere. Methane is an important
component of VOCs, its environmental impact principally related to its
contribution to global warming and to the production of ozone in the troposphere.
Most measurements of total VOCs are in terms of their carbon content, without
analysis as individual compounds.
Hydrocarbons are emitted from petrol evaporation and incomplete combustion,
and from leakage of natural gas from distribution systems. Oxygenates arise in
vehicle exhausts and via atmospheric chemical reactions. Evaporation of
solvents, used in paints or industrial degreasing processes, cause a release of
hydrocarbons, oxygenates and halocarbons to the atmosphere.

Particulate Matter
Particulate matter is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances, present in
the atmosphere as both liquids and solids. Coarse particulates can be regarded as those
with an aerodynamic diameter greater than 2.5 m (micrometres), and fine particles less
than 2.5 m.
Coarse particles usually contain earth crustal materials and fugitive dust from roads and
industries. Fine particles contain the secondarily formed aerosols, combustion particles
and re-condensed organic and metallic vapours. The acid component of particulate matter
generally occurs as fine particles
Particulate matter is emitted from a wide range of sources, the most significant primary
sources being road transport (20%), homes (20%), construction, mining and quarrying
(13%), industrial combustion plants and processes (10%) and public power generation
(10%). Natural sources are less important; these include volcanoes and dust storms.
Particulate matter can also be formed by the transformation of gaseous emissions such as
oxides of sulphur and nitrogen and VOCs.

Benzene (C6H6)
C6H6 is a colourless, clear liquid. It is fairly stable but highly volatile, i.e. it readily
evaporates.
About 80% of man-made emissions come from petrol-fuelled vehicles. This
results from both the benzene content of the fuel and partial combustion of the
petrol.
A further 5% comes from the handling, distribution and storage of petrol and
approximately 1% comes from oil refining.
Emissions also come from benzene-producing and handling industries, the
burning of wood and other organic material, and the use of benzene as a
laboratory reagent.

Noise Quality
Category of Area
Limit in

Day Time: 6 am to 10 pm
Night time:10 pm to 6 am
Silence zone: Areas upto 100 m around premises such as hospitals,
educational institutions and courts.
The Silence zones are to be declared by the Competent Authority

Meteorological data
Wind speed and direction
A wind rose is a circular display of
how wind speed and direction are
distributed at a given location for
a certain time period.
Windrose information can be used
to qualitatively describe the
atmospheric dispersion of air
pollutants from a project activity.

spoke

Atmospheric stability

Wind speed, wind direction, and atmospheric stability class affect the
dispersion of a chemical. Figure shows a release dispersing uniformly in all
directions when there is no wind (Panel A). The circle corresponds to the level
f concern (LOC), which is the concentration of an EHS [Extremely Hazardous
Substance] in air above which there may be serious irreversible health effects
or death as a result of a single exposure for a relatively short period of time
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1987, pp. 2-13). The nearby town lies
outside the vulnerable zone, so it does not need to take protective action.
However, Panel B describes a situation in which there is a strong wind, so the
affected area is much smaller in the upwind and cross-wind directions.
However, the vulnerable zone is much larger in the downwind direction, so
the nearby town lies inside the vulnerable zone and would need to take
protective action.

Atmospheric Stability

Vertical
wind
Cross wind

Horizontal
wind

the atmospheric stability class can vary from Class A through Class F. Class A, the most unstable
condition, occurs during strong sunlight and light wind. This dilutes the released chemical by
causing vertical mixing into a large volume of air. Class F identifies the most stable condition, which
takes place during clear nighttime hours when there is a light wind. This condition has little vertical
mixing, so the released chemical remains highly concentrated at ground level. In some cases,
meteorological characteristics remain stable for days at a time but, in other cases, change from one
hour to the next. To be on the safe side, you should assume the worst meteorological conditions
during a hazmat release (variable wind direction and high atmospheric stability) unless competent
meteorological authorities tell you otherwise.
A: Extremely Unstable Conditions
B: Moderately Unstable Conditions
C: Slightly Unstable Conditions
D: Neutral Conditions (heavy overcast day or night)
E: Slightly Stable Conditions
F: Moderately Stable Conditions

What is the stability of the air?

What is the stability of the air?