The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is the primary legislation in India that governs the environmental clearance process for development projects. It establishes the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, which is a mandatory requirement for certain categories of projects.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal ministry responsible for implementing the EIA process in India. It is responsible for issuing environmental clearances for development projects, monitoring compliance with environmental regulations, and promoting sustainable development.

The purpose of an EIA is to identify and assess the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project, to obtain environmental clearance from the government, and to design mitigation measures to minimize environmental impacts.

Public consultation is not a key component of an EIA report. However, it is often conducted as part of the EIA process to gather feedback from stakeholders and address their concerns.

Public consultation is significant in the EIA process because it ensures transparency and accountability in the decision-making process, helps to identify potential environmental impacts that may have been overlooked, and provides an opportunity for stakeholders to express their concerns and provide suggestions.

Payment of environmental impact assessment fee is not a legal requirement for obtaining environmental clearance in India. However, it may be required by some state governments as part of the application process.

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) is responsible for reviewing and evaluating EIA reports, conducting site inspections, and recommending environmental clearance or rejection of projects.

The EAC is required to make a decision on an environmental clearance application within 60 days from the date of receipt of the complete application.

Project is not economically viable is not a ground for rejection of an environmental clearance application.

The validity period of an environmental clearance is 10 years from the date of issue.

Paying environmental compensation is not a responsibility of the project proponent after obtaining environmental clearance.

The penalty for violating environmental regulations in India can be both imprisonment for up to 5 years and fine of up to Rs. 1 lakh.

No Objection Certificate is not a type of environmental clearance in India.

The purpose of a post-clearance monitoring report is to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures, to identify any unanticipated environmental impacts, and to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

Increased economic growth is not a benefit of implementing an effective EIA process.