Public involvement in environmental impact assessment: a case study of hydro development in Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, India

摘要

The Governments of India and the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh (HP) recently adopted policy changes intended to expedite development approvals for power projects. This paper focuses on the 1997 changes to the Environmental Protection Act that establish procedures for public hearings as a component of EIA. Three hydro project public hearings in the Kullu District (HP) in 1998 show that public involvement andpublic hearing processes are in their nascent stages despite the rapid pace of development. Many constraints, such as inaccessibility of information, lack of familiarity with EIA, and lack of institutional capacity, hinder serious public involvement. Public concerns focused on safety issues (blasting), new road construction and jobs, with little consideration of environmental impact.