UNIT - III

SOCIAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Sustainable development: Sustainable development as the development that meet needs of present
generation without compromising ability of future generations to meet their own need.
Dimensions of sustainable development: Derived from interactions between society, economy and
environment.
Key aspects for sustainable development: 1) Inter – generational equity:
 We should minimize any adverse impacts on resources and environment for future generations.
 We should handover a safe, healthy, and resourceful environment to our future generations.
 This is possible only if we stop over exploitation of resources, reduce waste discharge and emissions and
maintain ecological balance.
2) Intra – generational equity:
 The development process should seek to minimize the wealth gaps within and between nations.
 The technology should address to the problems of developing countries, producing drought tolerant varieties
for uncertain climates, vaccines for infectious diseases, clean fuel for domestic and industrial use.
 This will support the economic growth of poor countries, narrowing the wealth gap and lead to sustainability.
Approaches for sustainable development:
• Developing appropriate technology - locally adaptable, eco-friendly, resource efficient and culturally
suitable.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle [3R] approach – reduces waste generation and pollution.
• Providing environmental education and awareness – changing attitude of the people.
• Consumption of renewable resources – attain sustainability.
• Conservation of nonrenewable resources – conserved by recycling and reusing.
• Population control.
Urban problems related to energy: Urbanization:- Movement of human population from rural areas top urban
areas for betterment of education, communication, health, employment etc.
Causes: Cities are main centers of economic growth, trade, transportation, education, medical facilities and
employment.
Urban sprawl: Urban growth is fast, so difficult to accommodate with their limited area .So cities spread in to
rural areas.
Urban energy requirement: Residential and commercial lighting, Public and private transportation, Electrical
and electronic appliances like A/C, fridge, washing machine, water heater etc.
Solution: Use public transport instead of motor cycles.
• Energy consumption must be minimized.
• Use solar and wind energy.
• Impose strict laws, penalty, and energy audit.
Water conservation: Process of saving water for future utilization.
Need for water conservation:
• Population increases water requirement also increases.
• Due to deforestation annual rainfall decreases.
• Over exploitation of ground water.
• Population increases water requirement also increases.
• Due to deforestation annual rainfall decreases.
• Over exploitation of ground water.
• Changes in environmental factors.
 • Better lifestyles need more water.
• Increase in population.
• Deforestation decreases annual rainfall.
• Over exploitation of ground water leads to drought.
• Agricultural and industrial activities require more water.
Strategies of water conservation:
• Reducing evaporation losses → can place asphalt below the soil surface.
• Reducing irrigation losses → sprinkling, drip irrigation, irrigation in early Morning / later evening
reduces evaporation.
• Re use of water → treated waste water from washings, bathrooms can be used for gardening.
• Preventing of wastage of water → closing taps when not is use, repairing leakage, using small
capacity taps etc.
• Decreasing run-off losses → Can be d o n e b y u s i n g c o n t o u r c u l t i v a t i o n o r t e r r a c e
farming.
• Avoid discharge of sewage. → Discharge of sewage into water resources should be prevented.
Water conservation method:
• Rain water harvesting
• Watershed management
Rain water harvesting Objective:
• To meet increasing demands of water.
• Raise water table by recharging ground water.
• Reduce ground water contamination from salt water intrusion.
• Reduce the surface run off loss & soil erosion.
• Increase in hydro static pressure.
• Minimise water crisis & water conflicts.
Roof top rainwater harvesting:
• Method of collecting rainwater from roof of the building & storing it in the ground for future use.
• Involves collecting water that falls on roof of house.
• Rainwater from roof top, road surface, and playground diverted to surface tank.
• Rain water is collected by PVC / aluminum pipe to the pit.
• The pit base is filled with stones & sand, which serve as sand filters.
Advantages of rainwater harvesting:
• Increases the well water availability & reduces the use of current.
• Prevent drought.
• Increase the water level in well & Rise in ground water level.
• Minimize soil erosion & flood hazards.
• Upgrading the social & environmental status.
• Future generation is assured of water.
Watershed management: It is defined as land area bounded by divide line from which water drains under
influence of gravity in to stream, lakes, and reservoir.Eg. Pits, dams, Farm, ponds etc.
Objectives:
• To minimize of risk of floods & for improving the economy.
• For developmental activities.
• To generate huge employment opportunity.
• To promote forestry & to protect soil from erosion.
Watershed management Techniques:
• Trenches (Pits) – Pits at regular intervals improves ground water storage
• Earthen dam – to check and store runoff water – should be constructed in catchment area
 • Farm pond - Ponds can capture, store, and distribute water for a variety of agricultural purposes.
• Underground barriers (Dykes).
Maintenance of Watershed:
• Water harvesting
• Afforestation
• Reducing soil erosion
• Scientific mining & Quarrying
• Public participation & minimizing livestock population.
Advantages of Watershed projects-

Improved access to drinking water in project areas during drought-

• Increase in cultivation area leading to increase in employment-
• Increase in crop yield, resulting better income to rural population-
• Improved availability of fodder for animals and increase in milk yield
• Increase in employment & involvement of women-
• Increase in net returns from all crops
• Decrease in soil erosion.
• Restoration of ecological balance.
Resettlement and Rehabilitation of people:

Resettlement – simple relocation or displacement of human population.

Causes:
• Due to Developmental activities - dams, mining, roads, airports, etc
• Due to Disaster (Natural disaster - earthquake, floods, droughts, landslides, avalanches,
volcanic eruptions etc.) (Manmade disasters - Industrial accidents, nuclear accidents, dam
bursts etc)
• Due to conservation initiatives - national park, sanctuary, forest reserves, biosphere reserve etc.
Case Studies Eg. Hirakund dam displaced more than 20000 people residing in about 250 villages.
Tehri Dam (Uttaranchal) on the river Bhagirathi, would directly have an immediate impact on the 10,000
residents of Tehri town and the rehabilitation over here has become much more of a burning issue Sardar
Sarover Project - Plans to build 30 big, 135 medium and 3000 minor dams on Narmada River.
Tributaries estimated to submerge 573 villages consisting of about 3 lakh people.
Rehabilitation: Involves making the system to work again by replacing the lost economic assets, employment,
land for building, repair damaged building etc.
Rehabilitation issues:
• Displacement of tribal’s increases poverty by losing home, land, jobs, food security etc
• Breakup of families
• Communal ownership of property
• Vanishing social and cultural activities like folk songs & dances
• Loss of identity between the people.
• Extinction of wild life
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS:-

Over exploitation of forests, land, water as well as various living components of biosphere and failure to tackle
the problem of pollution and environmental degradation are exposing the humanly to the thread of a global
environment crisis.
 Therefore human beings are ethically responsible for the preservation of the world’s ecological integrity.
The environment ethics literally means conscious efforts to protect environment and to maintain its stability from
the pollutants. Following are some of the ways to safeguard environment.
NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS & HOLOCAUST: The release of large amounts of nuclear energy and radioactive
products into the atmosphere.
Types of Nuclear Accidents
• Nuclear test
• Nuclear power plant accidents
• Improper disposal of radioactive wastes
• Accident during transport of materials
• Core melt down
Effects of nuclear accident:
1. Direct contact leads to radioactive sickness which may lead to death.
2. Cancer is major problem in affected areas and this effect may stay longer.
3. Air and water will be contaminated due to radioactive steam and groundwater mixing with radioactive
substances.
4. Land degradation.
5. It affects eye sight.
6. The ecological system gets disturbed.
7. Birds and animals have affect on their reproductive systems.
8. Gene disturbances and deformity in newly born.
Examples:
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster :( Nuclear Pollution): In April 26 1986, melt down of the Chernobyl nuclear
reactor in Ukraine, Russia, has leaked out the radioactive rays & radioactive materials. This was happened
due to poor reactor design & human error.
Effects: about 2000 persons died, more suffered due to degeneration of cells, severe bleeding, anaemia,
skin cancer, animals plants was also affected more.
2. Nuclear holocaust in Japan:
In 1945 two nuclear atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki cities in Japan.
This explosion emitted neutrons, gamma radiations, strontium (Sr*90)
This Sr90 has the property of replacing calcium in the bones & so many people were affected by bone
deformities
1, 00,000 people were killed,
Effects of nuclear holocaust: Nuclear winter [Black soot formed will absorb all UV-radiations & prevent
UV radiation to reach the earth.
This result in cooling effect & water evaporation will also reduce. This process opposite to global
warming is called nuclear winter.
Control Measures :
• Suitable precautions to avoid accident
• Constant monitoring of the radiation level
• Checks and control measures done by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
WASTE LAND RECLAMATION: The land which is not in use – unproductive, unfit for cultivation another
economic uses. The waste land do not fulfill their life sustain potential wasteland contributes about 20.17% of
the total geographical area of India.
Types of waste land :
1. Uncultivable waste land – Barren rocky areas, hilly slopes, sandy deserts.
2. Cultivable waste land- degraded forest lands, gullied lands. Marsh lands, saline land etc.
Causes for waste land formation:
• Soil Erosion, Deforestation, Water logging, Salinity.
 • Excessive use of pesticides.
• Developmental activities, [Construction of dams, power projects, causes water logging].
• Over-exploitation of natural resources.
• Sewage and industrial wastes.
• Mining destroy forests & cultivable land.
• Growing demands for fuel, fodder, wood and food causes degradation and loss of soil productivity.
Objectives of waste land reclamation:
• To improve the physical structure and quality of the soil
• To prevent soil erosion
• To avoid over – exploitation of natural resources
• To conserve the biological resources.
• To improve the availability of good quality of water
• To supply fuel, fodder, timber for local use
• To provide source of income to the rural poor
Methods of waste land reclamation:

• Drainage
• Leaching
• Irrigation practices
• Green manures and bio fertilizers
• Application of Gypsum
• Afforestation programmes
Consumerism and Waste Products: Consumerism r e f e r s to t h e consumption of resources by the
people. Early human societies used to consume much less resources. But the consumerism has increased to a
very large extent. Consumerism is related to both population size and increase in demands due to change in
lifestyle.
Population has increased tremendously. World Bank estimates our population to reach 11billion by
2045. Two types of conditions of population and consumerism exists.
1. People over – population: When there are more people than available food, water and other resources in
an area – causes degradation of limited resources – poverty and under nourishments. Low Developed Countries
(LDC) are more prone to these conditions. There is less per capita consumption although the overall
consumption is high.

2. Consumption over– population: These conditions occur in more developed countries (MDC).
Population size is smaller but the resource consumption is high due to luxurious lifestyle (i.e.) per capita
consumption is high. More consumption of resources lead to high waste generation –greater is the degradation
of the environment.
Objectives of Consumerisation:
• Improves rights and power of the buyers
• Making the manufacturer liable
• Reuse and recycle the product
• Reclaiming useful parts
• Reusable packing materials
• Health and happiness.
 Important information to be known by buyers
• About ingredients,
• Manufacturing dates, Expiry date, etc.
SOURCES OF WASTES = Glass, papers, garbage’s, food waste, automobile waste, dead animals etc.
E – Waste = Computers, printers, mobile phones, Xerox machines, calculators etc.
Effects of wastes -
• Dangerous to human life
• Degrade soil
• Non-biodegradable plastics reduce toxic gases.
• Cadmium in chips, Cathode ray tube, PVC causes cancer and other respiratory problems. Overall
environmental impact = no. of people x per capita use of resources x waste generated per unit of resources

Parameter MDC LDC

Number of people Low High

Per capita consumption High Low

of resources
Waste generated High Low

Over all environmental impact of these two types of consumerism may be same or even greater in case of
MDC.

LAWS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION –

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986:

It is a general legislation law to rectify the gaps & laps in above acts.
This act empowers the Central Govt. to fix the standard of quality of air, water, soil & noise.
Objectives:
To protect & improvement of the environment
To prevent hazards to all living creatures & property
To maintain peaceful relationship between humans & their environment
Important Features of Environment Act:
• Empowers safeguard measures to Prevent accidents which cause pollution.
• Gives remedial measures if accident occurs.
• The Govt. has authority to close or prohibit or regulate any industry & its operation. One who violates the
act will be punishable with fine up to one lakh
• If the violation continues, an additional fine of Rs. 5000/- per day is imposed
• The act empowers the officers of Central Government to inspect the site / plant / machinery
for preventing pollution.
• Collects samples of air, water, soil or other material from any factory / its premises for testing.
Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 : Salient features
• Enacted in the Conference held at Stockholm in 1972.
• Deals with problems related to air pollution, quality of air etc.
Objectives of air act:
To prevent, control & abatement of air pollution.
To maintain the quality of air.
 Important features of air pollution:
• The Central Board settle disputes between state boards, provide technical assistance &
guidance to State board.
• The State Board verify the emissions of air pollutants from industrial / automobile units
• The State Board Collect information about air pollution
• SB examine the standards of manufacturing process & control equipment
• SB can advise State Government to declare the heavily polluted areas & advice to avoid
burning of waste products.
• Operation of industrial unit is prohibited in a heavily polluted areas
• Violation of law is punishable with imprisonment & Fine

Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1974:

This act provides for maintaining & restoring the source of water Provides for preventing & controlling
water pollution.

Objectives:
• To protect water from all kinds of pollution
• To preserve the quality of water
• Establishment of Central & State Boards for preventing water pollution
• Restrain any person for discharging sewage/effluent into any water body
• Any contravention of the standards leads to prison for 3 to 6 months
• Requires permission to set up an industry which discharges effluent.

State pollution Control Board:

• Take step to establish any industry, disposal system, extension/addition in industry, discharge
of effluent into river
• Use any new / altered outlet for discharge of sewage
• Begin to make any new discharge of sewage.
Punishment: Stoppage of supply of electricity, water / any other services Imprisonment for 1½ years to 6
years & Rs. 5000/- fine.
Wildlife [protection] act, 1972: Aimed protect & preserve wildlife. Wildlife refers to all animals & plants
It is declining due to human actions for wildlife’s skins, furs, feathers, ivory etc.
Objectives:
To maintain ecological process & life supporting system To preserve biodiversity
To ensure a continuous use of species.
Important Features:
Covers the right & non-rights of forest dwellers
Provides restricted grazing in sanctuaries & prohibits in national parks Prohibits the collection of non-
timber forest.
1. Defines wild life related terminology.
2. Provide appointments of advisory Board, wildlife warden, their powers &
duties etc.
3. Prohibition of hunting of endangered species [was first] mentioned.
4. List of endangered species is provided.
5. Provides grants for setting up of national parks, wild life sanctuaries etc.
 6. The Act imposes ban on trade & commence of scheduled animals.
7. Provides legal proves to officers to punish the offenders.
8. Provide captive breeding programme for endangered species.
Forest (conservation) Act, 1980 : It deals with conservation of forest and includes reserve forest, protected
forest and any forestland irrespective of ownership.
Objectives:
To protect & conserve the forest
To ensure judicious use of forest products
Important Features of Forest Act:
Forests are not diverted without the prior permission of the Central Government.
Land registered for forest may not be used for non-forest purposes
Any illegal activity in a forest area can be stopped immediately
Clearance of forest land for re-afforestation is forbidden
One who violates the forest law is punishable.
1. Provision for conservation of all types of forests. Advisory committee appointed for funding conservation
2. Illegal non-forest activity within a forest area can be immediately stopped under this act. Non forest activity
means clearing land for cash-crop agriculture, mining etc.
However construction in forest for wild life or forest management is exempted from non-forestry activity.
Environmental Legislation

1972 June 5th – Environment was first discussed as an agenda in UN conference on Human
Environment. There after every year 5th June is celebrated as Environment Day.

Constitutional Provisions:

Added in 1976– Article 48A – “The state shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to
safeguard forests and wildlife of the country”
Article 51A (g): “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural
environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures”.
By these two articles one constitution makes environment protection and conservation as one of our
fundamental duties.
Central pollution control Board (CPCB):
1. Advices CG in matters – prevention and control of water pollution
2. Coordinates SPCB and provide technical assistance and guidance
3. Training programs for prevention and control of pollution by mass media and other ways
4. Publishes statistical and technical details about pollution
5. Prepares manual for treatment and disposal of sewerage and trade effluents
6. Lays standard for water quality parameters
7. Plans nation-wide programs for prevention, control or abatement of pollution
8. Laboratories for analysis of water, sewage or trade effluents

State pollution control Board (SPCB):

SPCB has similar functions as SPCB and governed by CPCB

 1. SPCB advises state government with respect to location of any industry that might pollute
2. Lays standard for effluents to take samples from streams, wells or trade effluents or sewage passing
through an industry. Samples taken are analyzed at recognized labs. If the sample is not confirming to
the water quality standard, then the unit is neglected
3. Every industry to obtain consent from PCB before commencing an effluent unit by applying in prescribed
form with fee.
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) : EIA evaluates the likely ecological impacts of a proposed
project or development, considering inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both
beneficial and adverse.

 In other words, it is the formal process used to predict the environmental consequences (positive or
negative) of a plan, policy, program, or project before deciding whether to proceed with the proposed action.
 UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify a project’s
environmental, social, and economic impacts prior to decision-making.
 EIA aims to predict environmental impacts early in project planning and design, find ways to reduce adverse
impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment, and present the predictions and options to decision-
makers.

Evolution of EIA: EIA is currently practiced in more than 100 countries as a mandatory regulatory
procedure.

Global Level - The United States of America was the first country to assign mandatory status to
Environmental Impact Assessments through its National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) of 1969.

 A host of industrialized countries have since implemented EIA procedures.

 Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Japan adopted EIA legislation in 1973, 1974, 1981, and 1984,
respectively. In July 1985, the European Community (EC) issued a directive making environmental
assessments mandatory for certain categories of projects (Wood, 1994).

National Level - EIA in India started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission asked the then Department
of Science and Technology to examine river-valley projects from an environmental perspective.

 Subsequently, this was extended to cover those projects that required approval of the Public Investment
Board.
 However, these were purely administrative decisions and lacked legislative support.
 Later, on 23rd May 1986, the Government of India enacted the Environment (Protection) Act, after which the
decision was made to make EIA statutory.

Objectives of EIA - The objectives of (EIA) include:

 To assess potential impacts of proposed projects on the environment, including land, water, air, and
biodiversity.
 To provide a systematic framework for decision-makers to evaluate the environmental implications of
projects.
 To identify measures to prevent, reduce, or compensate for negative environmental impacts.
 To ensure that development projects align with sustainable practices and contribute positively to
environmental and social well-being.
 To engage stakeholders and the public in the decision-making process, fostering transparency and
community involvement.
 To ensure that projects adhere to environmental regulations and standards.
 To establish baseline conditions and frameworks for monitoring environmental impacts over time.
 Purpose of Environmental Impact Assessment:
EIA is a process with several important purposes, which can be categorised as follows:

 Facilitating Decision-Making: It systematically examines the environmental implications of a proposed

action and sometimes alternatives before the decision-maker makes a decision.
o The decision-maker can consider the impact on the environment through the EIA document, along
with other documentation relating to the planned activity.
 Easing the Developmental Process: In addition to the cumbersome process of obtaining permission from
various authorities, many investors consider EIA to be another set of hurdles.
o However, in reality, EIA can greatly benefit them as it provides a framework for considering issues
related to geographical location and design based on the conditions.
o Considering environmental impacts at an early stage of development can lead to environmentally
sensitive development.
 Instrument for Sustainable Development: Sustainable development’s key characteristics include
maintaining the overall quality of life, maintaining continuing access to natural resources, and avoiding
lasting environmental damage.
o Governments have recognized the interaction of socio-economic development and ecosystems and
the reciprocal impact between human actions and the bio geophysical world.

Components of Environmental Impact Assessment: The EIA report should contain all or some of the
following components depending on the project’s nature, location and scale.

 Air Environment – Determination of impact zone.

 Monitoring the existing status of ambient air quality, site-specific meteorological data, viz. wind speed and
direction, humidity, ambient temperature and environmental lapse rate within the impacted region of the
proposed project site.

Noise Environment – Identification and Monitoring the present status of noise levels within the impact zone,
and prediction of future noise levels.

o 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 proposed project’s impact zone.
o Prediction of impacts on water resources due to the proposed water use/pumping on account of the
project.
 Biological Environment – Survey and assessment of flora and fauna clearly delineating season and
duration within the impact zone.
o Assessment of potential damage to terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna (including commercial
fishing) due to discharge of effluents, gaseous emissions, land use, and landscape changes arising
from the project.
o 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.
o Identification of potential utility of treated effluent in land application and subsequent impacts.
o Estimation and Characterisation of solid wastes and delineation of management options for
minimising waste and environmentally compatible disposal.
 Socio-economic and Health Environment – Collection of demographic and related socio-economic data.
o 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.
 Risk Assessment – Hazard identification using hazard indices, inventory analysis, dam break probability,
Natural Hazard Probability, etc.
o Maximum Credible Accident (MCA) analysis to identify potential hazardous scenarios.
 Environment Management Plan – Delineation of mitigation measures, including prevention and control for
each environmental component and rehabilitation and resettlement plans.
o Delineation of a monitoring scheme for compliance of conditions.
o Delineation of implementation plan, including scheduling and resource allocation.

Steps in EIA Process: The EIA process involves a number of steps, some of which are as follows:

 Screening: The screening process determines whether a particular project warrants the preparation of an
EIA.
o To determine which projects or developments require a full or partial impact assessment study.
Category ‘A’ projects are exempt from Screening.
 Scoping: To identify, at an early stage, the key, significant environmental issues from among a host of
possible impacts of a project and all the available alternatives (based on legislative requirements,
international conventions, expert knowledge and public involvement).
 Collection of Baseline Data: It describes the environmental status of the identified study area. Primary Data
collected for terms of reference should not be more than 3 years old.
 Impact Prediction: It involves studying the potential impacts in a multi-disciplinary (environmental, social,
and economic systems) manner.
 Mitigation Measurement and EIA Report: Mitigation measures can be drawn out to reduce or ameliorate
the adverse impacts of the project.
o It can include incorporating safeguards in the design of the project, changing industrial processes,
introduction of pollution abatement technology etc.
 Public Hearing: It includes a non-technical summary for the general audience. It applies to Category ‘A’ and
‘B1’ projects, except the following:
o Modernization of irrigation projects
o All projects located within industrial estates
o Expansion of Roads and Highways does not involve any further land acquisition.
 Decision-making: It is done by MoEF or SEIAA, depending on the project category, under certain
conditions.
o Both Category A and Category B projects shall make Information regarding the grant of EC along
with conditions available in the public domain through newspaper advertisement.
 Monitoring and Implementation of Environmental Management Plan: Monitor whether the predicted
impacts and proposed mitigation measures occur as defined in the approved project.
o Verify the compliance of proponent, to ensure that unpredictable impacts or failed mitigation
measures are identified and addressed in a timely fashion.
 Risk Assessment: Risks such as occupational hazards, life cycle of pollutants, technology assessment, and
hazard analysis are taken into account and measures suggested for mitigation.

Importance of EIA: The importance of the EIA process lies in its ability to direct project studies and address
environmental impacts before they occur. EIA is anticipatory, participatory, and systematic and relies on
multidisciplinary input. Its importance can be summed as:

 EIA intends to avoid or mitigate environmental degradation by informing the public and decision-makers of
the likely consequences of a proposed action. It also examines the beneficial components of the proposal.
 Economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design
and avoided treatment/clean-up costs.
 EIA can create alternatives, including redrawing the project area around sensitive areas, employing
technology to minimise impacts, planting vegetation to stabilise disturbed soils, or abandoning the proposed
project altogether.
 The public nature of the EIA process means that experts and interest groups can contribute their expertise or
raise concerns and have them addressed.
 Impact monitoring tracks changes in the environment that are attributed to the project.
 It is an important management tool for ensuring optimal use of natural resources for sustainable
development.
 It lessens conflicts by ensuring community participation.

END