Terms of Reference (ToR)

The Terms of Reference (ToR) is the formal scoping document issued by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Category A projects, or the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) for Category B projects, under India's EIA Notification, 2006. The ToR defines exactly which environmental aspects an EIA report must investigate, the methodology to be used, the spatial and temporal coverage required, and any project-specific issues that must be addressed. Without an approved ToR, no formal EIA can begin.

Content and granularity: A typical ToR for a recycling-sector project specifies (1) the study area — usually 10 km radius from the project boundary, sometimes extended to 15 km for projects near eco-sensitive zones; (2) baseline monitoring — ambient air quality at multiple locations for three full seasons covering PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NOx, CO, and sector-specific pollutants such as VOCs or heavy metals; surface water and groundwater sampling at upstream and downstream points; soil quality across multiple horizons; noise monitoring during day and night; ecological survey covering flora and fauna in the study area; (3) impact prediction methodology — air dispersion modelling using software such as AERMOD, hydrological water-balance modelling, risk assessment using HAZOP and consequence analysis; (4) project-specific additional studies — dioxin emission inventory for combustion processes, leachate characterisation for hazardous-waste storage, traffic impact assessment for high-truck-movement facilities.

The ToR process: The proponent submits Form 1, a pre-feasibility report, and a draft ToR via the PARIVESH portal. The EAC or SEAC reviews the application in its monthly meeting, may seek clarifications, and issues the final ToR — typically within 60-120 days of submission. The final ToR is a public document and is uploaded to PARIVESH.

Why ToR quality determines downstream success: Once the ToR is issued, the EIA report must address every item in it; missing items at the final appraisal stage trigger deferral and re-submission, each cycle adding 3-6 months. The widespread failure mode is accepting a generic ToR template without negotiating project-specific exclusions — for instance, accepting an ecological-survey requirement when the project plot is entirely within an existing industrial estate with no remaining natural habitat. Wise practice is to engage with the EAC or SEAC informally before formal submission, ensuring the ToR is tightly tailored to actual project conditions.