No Pollution Control Permits for ‘White Category’ Sectors

Source- This post on the  No Pollution Control Permits for ‘White Category’ Sectors has been created based on the article “No pollution control permits for ‘white category’ sectors now” published in “Indian Express” on 26 July 2024.

The Ministry of Environment has issued draft notifications proposing the removal of certain pollution control permits for ‘white category’ industries. These industries are considered practically non-polluting and include projects like wind and solar power, air cooler assembly, and bicycle assembly.

Key Changes:

1) Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO): These permits, previously required under the Air Act, 1981, and Water Act, 1974, are used to regulate industries discharging effluents or emitting pollutants. The Ministry proposes to eliminate the CTE permit for projects needing prior environmental clearance (EC). Conditions of CTE might be merged with the environmental clearance granted by the Ministry.

2) Impact on Industries:

i) Industries in the ‘white category’ are defined by a Pollution Index (PI) score of up to 20. These industries are exempt from the requirements of CTE and CTO permits.

ii) Sectors that fall under this category include wind and solar power projects, air cooler assembly, and bicycle assembly.

iii) The Ministry of Environment has issued two draft notifications under the Air Act, 1981, and Water Act, 1974. The public is invited to submit comments and objections on these notifications within 60 days of their issuance.

iv) Industries that are exempt from the CTE and CTO permits must inform the state pollution control boards about their operations through self-declarations, as stated in the draft notifications.

Note: The permissions officially known as ‘consent to establish’ (CTE) and ‘consent to operate’ (CTO) are granted to regulate industries that discharge effluents or emit pollutants into the environment.

v) The CTE permit is required before construction activities commence, and the CTO permit is required before operations begin. These permits ensure adherence to pollution norms by imposing standard or specific conditions.

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