Screening and Scoping Questions and Answers

Answer: D

All three statements are true, so the answer is all of the above.

Scoping is the early stage of an EIA that decides what the study must cover. It is a systematic exercise that sets the boundaries of the assessment, in space, time and subject (i). It identifies the significant issues and screens out the irrelevant ones, so the study concentrates on what matters (ii). Its output, in India the Terms of Reference issued by the appraisal committee, serves as the work plan for the rest of the EIA process (iii).

Since every statement describes scoping correctly, any option naming only two of them is incomplete.

Answer: B

The first step is project identification.

A project must first be identified and defined, its nature, size and location, before it can be screened to decide whether it needs environmental clearance and in which category. Only then do scoping, the EIA study, public consultation and appraisal follow, and after clearance come implementation and monitoring.

Appraisal is the expert committee's review near the end of the clearance process, while implementation and monitoring come after clearance is granted.

Answer: B

Screening is done to determine whether a full EIA is needed.

Screening is the first step of the EIA process. It sorts proposals by type, size and location: in India, Category A projects are appraised at the central level, Category B1 needs a full EIA at state level, and Category B2 is exempt from a full EIA.

The other options belong to later stages. Studying the baseline is part of the impact assessment proper, after scoping has defined the terms of reference. Consulting stakeholders is the public consultation stage. Assessing the project design comes out of appraisal and the consideration of alternatives, not out of screening.