Leather/Skin/Hide Processing Industry - Environmental Clearance

Conceptual Facets of EIAEfficient- should achieve the objectives of EIA within the limits of availableinformation, time, resources and methodology.Focused- should concentrate on significant environmental effects and key issues; i.e.,the matters that need to be considered while making decisions.Adaptive- should be adjusted to the realities, issues and circumstances of theproposals under review without compromising the integrity of the process, and beiterative, incorporating lessons learnt throughout the project life cycle.Participative- should provide appropriate opportunities to inform and involve theinterested and affected publics, and their inputs and concerns should be addressedexplicitly in the documentation and decision making.Inter-disciplinary- should ensure that appropriate techniques and experts in relevantbio-physical and socio-economic disciplines are employed, including use oftraditional knowledge as relevant.Credible- should be carried out with professionalism, rigor, fairness, objectivity,impartiality and balance, and be subject to independent checks and verification.Integrated- should address the interrelationships of social, economic and biophysicalaspects.Transparent- should have clear, easily understood requirements for EIA content;ensure public access to information; identify the factors that are to be taken intoaccount in decision making; and acknowledge limitations and difficulties.Systematic- should result in full consideration of all relevant information on theaffected environment, of proposed alternatives and their impacts, and of the measuresnecessary to monitor and investigate residual effects.2.7 Project CycleThe generic project cycle including that of leather/skin/hide processing industry has sixmain stages:1. Project concept2. Pre-feasibility3. Feasibility4. Design and engineering5. Implementation6. Monitoring and evaluationIt is important to consider the environmental factors on an equal basis with technical andeconomic factors throughout the project planning, assessment and implementation phases.Environmental consideration should be introduced at the earliest in the project cycle andmust be an integral part of the project pre-feasibility and feasibility stage. If theenvironmental considerations are given due respect in the site selection process by theproject proponent, the subsequent stages of the environmental clearance process wouldget simplified and would also facilitate easy compliance to the mitigation measuresthroughout the project life cycle.A project’s feasibility study should include a detailed assessment of significant impacts,and the EIA include a detailed prediction and quantification of impacts and delineation ofEnvironmental Management Plan (EMP). Findings of the EIA study should preferably beincorporated in the project design stage so that the project as well as the site alternativesis studied and necessary changes, if required, are incorporated in the project design stage.TGM for Tanneries August 20102-13