Which feature ensures communities can raise concerns and obtain resolution during EIA?

• A. Public hearings conducted only by agencies.
• B. Grievance redress mechanism that provides a formal channel for addressing concerns.
• C. Only written comments accepted during review.
• D. Automatic escalation to courts.

Answer: (B)

A formal grievance redress mechanism provides a structured, accessible path for communities to raise concerns and get them resolved within the environmental impact assessment process. It ensures that complaints about the project, the assessment itself, or proposed mitigation are officially recorded, assigned to responsible bodies, investigated impartially, and answered within defined timelines. This creates accountability, builds trust, and helps address issues before they escalate, making participation meaningful and effective.

Public hearings conducted by agencies alone can limit who participates and how concerns are handled, and may not ensure ongoing resolution after the hearing. Accepting only written comments excludes people who prefer or rely on oral or informal input. Automatically escalating to courts bypasses the internal process, can be slower and more costly, and misses the opportunity for timely, upfront remedies within the EIA workflow.