This led to the implementation of the EIA Procedures in 1994 in India. It was an
amendment made in 1997 vide which Public hearing was introduced for the first
time in India. This were among other objectives, seeking to provide an avenue for
the involvement of the public, private proponents and agencies in the assessment
and review of proposed undertakings. This is to ensure that the concerns and
needs of the affected population are considered and addressed.
HISTORY OF PUBLIC HEARING
As per Forester “Public hearings” began in “Enclosure Process” of land that
occurred in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1845, the General
Enclosure Act created permanent commissioners who sent all bills to Parliament,
and one publicly appointed commissioner who presided over the public meetings
to hear citizen concerns. This use of commissions to hear public concerns over
the enclosure of lands was one of the first examples of a public hearing, and
emphasizes how most public hearings today are used when dealing with public
lands as well as private properties.
DEFINITION
As per Abigail Williamson and Archon Fung, Public Hearing is an open gathering
of officials and citizens, in which citizens are permitted to offer comments, but
officials are not obliged to act on them or, typically, even to respond publicly.
Public consultation refers to the process by which the concerns of the local
people regarding the adverse impacts of a project are ascertained and taken into
account in the EIA study.
As per EIA notification 2006, Public Consultation” refers to the process by which
the concerns of local affected persons and others who have plausible stake in the
environmental impacts of the project or activity are ascertained with a view to
taking into account all the material concerns in the project or activity design as
appropriate.
EIA Process in India includes Screening, Scoping and consideration of
alternatives, Baseline data collection,
Impact prediction, Assessment of
alternatives, delineation of mitigation measures and environmental impact
statement, Public hearing, Environment Management Plan, Decision making,
Monitoring the clearance condition.
SCOPE
This paper attempts to explore why some projects were subjected to public
hearings, and the objectives and purposes, form and outcomes of public hearings.
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