Industries classified under the non-polluting "white category" might not need prior approvals from state pollution control boards to be set up and run under the Air Act of 1981 and the Water Act of 1974, according to a draft notification by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as report by Indian Express.
These approvals, officially termed "consent to establish" (CTE) and "consent to operate" (CTO), are typically issued to control industries that release pollutants or discharge effluents into the environment.
The ministry has suggested eliminating the CTE permit requirement for 'projects/activities' that need prior environmental clearance (EC), the report said.
This will be contingent upon receiving EC from the appropriate authority, with CTE compliance conditions integrated into the EC conditions.
This will be contingent upon receiving EC from the appropriate authority, with CTE compliance conditions integrated into the EC conditions.
The environment ministry has issued two draft notifications under the Air Act of 1981 and the Water Act of 1974. It is now inviting comments and objections on these notifications within a 60-day period.
The draft notifications propose exemptions aimed at implementing the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, which was enacted in February, as well as the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, from last year. These legislative changes have decriminalised various offences under the Air Act, 1981, and Water Act, 1974, shifting from imprisonment to penalties and fines. Additionally, the Acts grant the Centre the authority to exempt specific types of industrial facilities from the requirement of obtaining permits.
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Industries classified under the "white category", which are exempt from the CTO and CTE permit requirements, must notify state pollution control boards of their operations through self-declarations, according to the draft notifications.
CPCB introduced 'white category' classification
In 2016, the Central Pollution Control Board reclassified industries based on their pollution potential. This reclassification involved assessing pollution index scores based on emissions, effluent discharge, hazardous waste generation, and natural resource consumption.
The "white category" was introduced during this reclassification, alongside updated scores for the previously existing categories — red, orange, and green. Examples of activities and projects in the 'white category' that are exempt from CTO and CTE permits include wind power and solar power projects, as well as the assembly of air coolers and bicycles.