Discuss the environmental dimensions of a project. and explain the different stresses on environment.


Ans. The effects of actions that are not accounted for in the normal market transactions need to be considered explicitly in the decision making process on projects. These effects are to be identified, assessed, and evaluated against the economic advantages arising out of a given action. In this context, the environmental impact appraisals are considered the first step in the process because they give an
opportunity to man to consider the effects of his actions on the environment. Economic development is the result of the interaction between natural resources and technology supported by and designed for people. People are the centre for development. Therefore, it is rightly said that all human activity, be it economic, social or anything else is essentially directed at satisfying “needs” and “wants” of man through “altering” and “using” environmental resources.
Types and environmental dimensions of a project
Broadly, there are two types of projects. The first one refers to those projects that produce physical goods like cement, steel, paper, chemicals etc. These projects, in fact, convert the natural resources into saleable and exchangeable products. In fact, these projects inflict a large number of physical changes and disruptions on environment and, hence, disturb the environmental and ecological balance.Environmentalists are mostly concerned with such type of projects. The second type refers to those that produce/render various kinds of services such as health, education, transport, energy, defense, law etc. Such projects also cover actions like land reforms, agricultural extension, services, sales promotion campaigns, etc. Projects of these types are non-physical in nature and they do not directly cause any physical changes in the environment. However, they bring about significant changes of far-reaching consequences on values, attitudes, lifestyles, social relations, and so on. The net effect of such projects is the creation of new wants and needs in society. They ultimately promote consumerism in the society and thereby increase the number of manufacturing projects. Thus, both are
interrelated.Each project has two dimensions:
(a) the intended objectives – they are also called stated goals/benefits; and (b) the unintended consequences. They are also called externalities or social costs which are unplanned, unwanted, and unanticipated. Environmental management or planning is the study of the unintended consequences of a project. Its purpose is to identify, examine, assess,and evaluate the likely and probable impacts of a proposed project on environment and, thereby, to work out the remedial action plans to minimize the
incidence of adverse impacts. It is not anti-development nor is it against the projects. Its goal is development without damage or least damage.
 Stresses on environment
Environmentalists have identified four types of different stresses or pressures that  are being continuously inflicted on environment. They are:
i) Atrophic Stress Refers to the release of various kinds of wastes into the river and other water bodies and their consequent drying.
ii) Exploitative Stress Refers to the exploitation of natural resources endowment for production and consumption purposes through agriculture, industry, extraction, fishing etc. It is important to note that the rate of exploitation has a relevance to the nature’s capacity to reproduce.
iii) Disruptive Stress Refers to the physical alterations in nature resulting from such activities like forest clearance, highways, railways, factory buildings and so on. These physical changes disturb the environmental and ecological balance.
iv) Chemical and Industrial Stress results mainly from the developments in “science and technology” and their applied fields like industry, warfare and agriculture. This comprises mainly the pollutants and effluents of all types, radiation etc. Strategies to face these threats to natural environment through pollution, destruction and over-use can be: (a) preventive or (b) regulatory. It is in this context that the environmental appraisal of projects is gaining significance with a hope of achieving sustainable development in harmony with environment.


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