Impact Prediction

Impact prediction is a way of ‘mapping’ the environmental consequences of the significant aspects of the project and its alternatives. Environmental impact can never be predicted with absolute certainty and this is all the more reason to consider all possible factors and take all possible precautions for reducing the degree of uncertainty.

             The following impacts of the project should be assessed:

Air

–        changes in ambient levels and ground level concentrations due to total emissions from point, line and area sources

–        effects on soils, materials, vegetation, and human health

Noise

–        changes in ambient levels due to noise generated from equipment and movement of vehicles

–        effect on fauna and human health

Water

–        availability to competing users

–        changes in quality

–        sediment transport

–        ingress of saline water

Land

–        changes in land use and drainage pattern

–        changes in land quality including effects of waste disposal

–        changes in shoreline/riverbank and their stability

Biological

–        deforestation/tree-cutting and shrinkage of animal habitat.

–        impact on fauna and flora (including aquatic species if any) due to contaminants/pollutants

–        impact on rare and endangered species, endemic species, and migratory path/route of animals.

–        Impact on breeding and nesting grounds

Socio-Economic

–        impact on the local community including demographic changes.

–        Impact on economic status

–        impact on human health.

–        impact of increased traffic