"STATE OF THE ART IN RAPID IMPACT ASSESSMENT MATRIX (RIAM) BASED EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS"

Understanding the importance of sustainable development give rise to many concepts and processes, one such process is called Environmental impact assessment (EIA). Last four decades has coincided with the increasing recognition of the nature implications of environmental change brought about by human action. EIA is considered as an important process to check the effects of developmental projects on the environment. Currently, over hundred countries have legislation mandating the implementation of an EIA when a development project is deemed to potentially have considerable impacts on environmental and social context. This paper comprises of two parts, first portrays the origin, initial developments and drawbacks of existing traditional method of conducting EIA with respect to Indian conditions. Secondly the application of Rapid Impact Assessment matrix (RIAM) in evaluating Environmental Impact Assessment.