Question

First notification of EIA in India came in the year

• A. 1986
• B. 1994
• C. 1974
• D. 2006

Hint:

Remember the progression of environmental policy in India:
- Water Act: 1974
- Environment Protection Act: 1986
- First EIA Notification: 1994
- Revised EIA Notification: 2006

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process used to evaluate the potential environmental effects of a proposed development project before it begins.
In India, the legal framework for EIA was established under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
While the Environment (Protection) Act was passed in 1986, the first formal Environmental Impact Assessment notification in India was issued on January 27, 1994, by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
This 1994 notification made environmental clearance mandatory for setting up, expanding, or modernizing specified developmental projects across the country.
The notification listed 30 categories of projects—including mining, major dams, chemical industries, and ports—that required a formal EIA and clearance from the central government before work could begin.
The EIA guidelines were later updated with a new notification in 2006, which decentralized the clearance process by dividing projects into Category A (cleared by the central government) and Category B (cleared by state-level committees).
Therefore, the first formal EIA notification in India was issued in 1994.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The first EIA notification in India was issued in 1994.
Thus, the correct choice is (B).