The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) made Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for development projects mandatory in India in 1994. But the Ministry on 14th September 2006 brought out a new Notification which significantly changed the approach to EIA in India. Several points of contention with the EIA Notification of 1994 continue to remain unaddressed in the EIA Notification of 2006. But the biggest blow is what seems the removal of tourism related projects from requiring environmental clearance. Studies have shown Tourism to have myriad destructive impacts on ecosystems. By the Ministry’s own submission, consultations on the draft Notification were held only with representatives of industry and central government agencies. State governments, panchayats and municipalities, NGOs, trade unions and local community groups were partially or completely kept out of the process. This paper critiques the EIA Notification of 2006 and its implication for tourism related destruction of the environment. Publisher: Equitable Tourism Options (EQUATIONS) Contact: [email protected], +91.80.25457607 Visit: www.equitabletourism.org, www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=411