Union govt simplifies permits for industries
EC serves as India’s primary regulatory checkpoint for new industrial and development projects, mandated under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification of 2006.
The Union government tweaked environment-related approvals processes to lay down that those industries that have secured an environmental clearance (EC) will no longer need a consent to establish (CTE), a decision it said was meant to remove dual compliance.
EC serves as India’s primary regulatory checkpoint for new industrial and development projects, mandated under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification of 2006. It is issued by either the central ministry or state authorities. A CTE, on the other hand, is issued by State Pollution Control Boards for industrial units that could potentially cause air or water pollution.
“The Government of India has accepted long-standing demand of industry to remove dual compliance of environmental clearance and consent to establish for setting up of new industries,” the Union environment ministry said in a statement.
“Industries that have taken EC will not be required to take CTE. This will not only reduce compliance burden, but also prevent duplication of approvals. Notifications to this effect have been issued by MoEFCC under the Air Act and Water Act,” the statement added.
Additionally, non-polluting white category industries have been exempted from obtaining both CTE and consent to operate (CTO) from state pollution control boards.
The notification integrates the two approvals and includes a Standard of Procedure to address issues typically considered during the CTE process within the EC itself.
“State Pollution Control Boards will be consulted during EC process. Further, the CTE fee shall be required to be paid by the industry, so that there is no loss of revenue to the States,” the statement added.
White category industries include assembly of air coolers, conditioners, bicycles and baby carriages; bio-fertilizer manufacturing without inorganic chemicals; diesel pump servicing; electric lamp assembly; and fly ash brick manufacturing among others.
The environment ministry had earlier proposed in a July 19 draft notification that certain industries would be exempted from prior consent requirements, HT reported on August 5.
Environmental expert Kanchi Kohli cautioned against the move. “The environment regulatory architecture has come to increasingly rely on governance by exemption. While flexibility is important to accommodate both economic and environmental imperatives, it needs to be whetted by whether it is exacerbating risks,” said Kohli, an independent legal and policy expert.