Industries exempted from environmental clearance

Context:

The Union Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has exempted 39 white category industries from the mandatory requirement of obtaining permission from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB).

 Exempted Industries:

• The major industries that get exemption with the permission of SPCB include:
• Manufacturing units making solar cells and modules
• Wind and hydro power units
• Fly ash bricks/blocks manufacturing
• Leather cutting and stitching
• Assembling, repair and servicing of air coolers/conditioners
• As per the 2016 classification by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), all these sectors are classified as ‘white category’ industries.
• White category includes those industries that emit the least pollution in nature.
• This exemption has been given by CPCB under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
• Consent to Establish (CTE) permit is issued along with Consent to Operate (CTO) permit to regulate industries that emit wastes or pollutants into the environment.

Colour-coded classification of industries:

• There are four colour-coded categories of industries as per CPCB’s classification:
  • Red category: Industrial areas with pollution index of 60 and above
  • Orange category: Industrial areas with pollution index of 41 to 59
  • Green category: Industrial areas with pollution index of 21 to 40
  • White category: Industrial areas with pollution index of 0 to 20
• Industries in the ‘red’ category are subjected to the strictest scrutiny as the goods being manufactured by them emit toxic wastes.
• The Union Environment Ministry and CPCB had introduced the 'White Category' of industries in the year 2016 while reviewing the classification of industries.

Benefits:

• This decision of the Union Ministry of Environment and Climate Change will reduce the 'compliance burden' of industries.
• There will be absolutely no need to take consent for the establishment and operation of non-polluting white category industries. This will also prevent duplication of approval.