What is the role of a multidisciplinary team in the EIA process?

• A. To secure permits
• B. To handle various environmental aspects such as ecology, hydrology, and socio-economics
• C. To decide the project budget
• D. To manage public outreach

Answer: (B)

A multidisciplinary team in the EIA process combines experts from different fields to capture how a project affects both the environment and communities as a whole. Ecologists assess impacts on ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity; hydrologists examine water resources, flood risk, and watershed changes; and social scientists and economists look at livelihoods, displacement, cultural resources, and broader socio-economic effects. Engineers and other specialists contribute technical insights on infrastructure and physical processes, but the core value of the team is integrating these perspectives to form a complete picture of potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts and to identify meaningful, effective mitigation strategies. While securing permits, budgeting, or managing public outreach are important parts of project work, they do not replace the primary role of the team, which is to analyze and synthesize environmental and socio-economic aspects to guide decision-making.