Watershed Development Guidelines and Environmental Impact Assessment in India: Balancing Ecological Integrity and Socio-Economic Needs -A Review with Reference to Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Ambika Sharma
Department of Environmental Science, School of Allied Sciences. Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248007, India.
Aditi Bisht *
Department of Environmental Science, School of Allied Sciences. Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248007, India.
Vishal Kamboj
Department of Environmental Science, BFIT Group of Institution, Suddhowala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248007, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Watersheds are complex, interrelated and shaped by land, water, vegetation, climate and human activities, creating ecological and socio-economic landscapes that are unique to each watershed. Sustainable management strategies are needed in areas such as the foothills of the Himalayas, where balancing resource security with economic viability is complex.
Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the significance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a vital decision support tool in India and its application in planning and implementation of the watershed based projects.
The methodology adopted is systematic review and is to synthesize the national regulatory guidelines like Common Guidelines of 2008 along with regional study conducted on Suswa, Asan and Song watersheds in Dehradun District. The paper reviews the risk assessment and risk management processes that EIA uses to identify and reduce hydrology, ecology, and livelihood impacts before the project is built.
Key Finding: There are strong laws and policies, but there are still deficiencies in the implementation of post-project monitoring and in the incorporation of community led EIAs. The study reveals that the combination of technical tools, such as GIS and Remote Sensing, and participatory management is crucial for solving problems in the region such as the depletion of groundwater and the rapid growth of urban areas.
Conclusion: This review represents the first melding of the "implementation gap" between the high-level policy of EIA and the ground-level practice of watershed in the region of ecologically sensitive areas. We believe that a participatory EIA process is not just a legal obligation, but is an essential part of sustainable development, in which the environmental conservation is integrated into the socio-economic needs.
Keywords: Watershed development, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, sustainability, community participation, hydrology