Misconception of EIA
The introduction of EIA has encountered resistance on the part of many planners and engineers, who have seen it as an unneeded change to traditional practices, in spite of its intended role in improving the project planning process. EIA has been severely criticized in some parts of the developing world as being inappropriate for application on the basis of criticisms such as:
• EIA is too expensive and unaffordable
• EIA is just an add-on and occurs too late to do anything good
• EIA delays projects
• EIA is too complex without useful results
• EIA will be misused to stop development

Most of the above impressions are not true. In fact, the application of EIA at the early stage of project cycle helps the project to achieve its goal and be sustainable in terms of benefits and other effects from its implementation.


The Flaws in Current System of EIA
A number of flaws, shortcomings, and deficiencies exist in current practice of EIA in developing countries. If these flaws persist, the objectives of an application of EIA in economic development project would not be fruitful as envisaged. The main issues for the improvement of EIA system, in developing countries are:
• The result of EIA study has not been balanced. As in some case, EIA study is being focused either on scientific analysis, or in management aspect. The linkages of EIA to the planning of social and economic development are still not clear.
• In most of the cases, EIA concentrates on adverse environmental effects, however, the objectives of EIA are to minimize adverse effects and enhance the beneficial impacts.
• The EIA reports produced tend to be an academic, bureaucratic, mechanistic, and voluminous and most of them become counterproductive and time consuming.