- The Union Environment Ministry has exempted 39 categories of industries classified as “white category” from mandatory approvals by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), aiming to reduce compliance burdens and streamline processes for non-polluting industries.
- Industries include solar cell and module manufacturing, wind and hydel power units, fly ash bricks, leather cutting and stitching, air-cooler servicing, and similar sectors.
- These industries are classified as “white category,” indicating minimal pollution potential.
- Compliance Simplification:
- No need for Consent to Establish (CTE) or Consent to Operate (CTO) for white category industries.
- Industries with Environmental Clearance (EC) are exempt from CTE requirements.
- Eliminates dual compliance, reducing redundancy in approvals.
- Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 established Central and State Pollution Control Boards to monitor and prevent water contamination.
- SPCB permission is required for industries potentially discharging pollutants.
- In amendments of 2024, empowered the Centre to override SPCBs in certain cases.
- The amendment also relaxed imprisonment provisions for minor violations, addressing trust deficit concerns among businesses.
Dig Deeper: Read about Environmental Impact Assessment.
