Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has emerged as one of the most significant regulatory mechanisms for reconciling developmental needs with environmental protection. Introduced as a preventive measure, its primary objective is to anticipate, identify, and assess the potential environmental impacts of proposed projects before implementation, thereby ensuring sustainable development. In theory, EIA is envisioned as a robust framework that integrates environmental concerns into the decision-making process, ensures public participation, and promotes accountability among project proponents. However, the effectiveness of EIA in practice has often been questioned.

This paper critically examines the gap between the theoretical promise of EIA and its actual implementation in India. It evaluates whether the EIA process has been successful in mitigating adverse environmental impacts or whether it has merely become a procedural formality to secure project clearances. Particular attention is given to issues such as inadequate baseline data, poor quality of Environmental Impact Statements, limited stakeholder engagement, and the frequent dilution of legal requirements through policy relaxations. The role of institutions, regulatory bodies, and the judiciary in strengthening or weakening the EIA framework is also assessed. The paper argues that for EIA to transition from “paper to practice,” reforms are necessary to enhance institutional capacity, ensure scientific rigor, promote genuine public participation, and impose stricter compliance mechanisms.