T he EIA Notification of January 27, 1994 has been amended on April 10, 1997. By this amendment, a public hearing is mandatory for all the 29 categories of activities which require environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. The public hearing will be conducted by the State Pollution Control Boards on the basis of information made available to them by the project authorities, after giving due notice to the public. The public will also have access to the documents. The public hearing panel will consist of representatives of the State Pollution Control Boards, state government, district collector, local bodies apart from three senior citizens of the area to be nominated by the district collector. The details of the public hearing will be made available to the Ministry of Environment & Forests which will appraise the project thereafter.