India Simplifies Environmental Clearance for Industrial Estates: Centre Issues Clarification

Image Source: Internet

In a move to boost manufacturing and streamline environmental clearances, the Union environment ministry has clarified a key condition in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2006. This change will allow industrial estates and complexes to obtain environmental clearance without requiring individual units to do so separately. The clarification, issued on November 25, comes as India aims to position itself as a global manufacturing hub. The move aligns with the government's broader effort to ease compliance requirements for industries. Under the clarified condition, industrial estates or complexes that have obtained prior environmental clearance can set up individual industries without needing separate clearance, provided they meet certain strict conditions. These conditions include: * A pre-defined set of activities, which includes essential information for a comprehensive environmental appraisal * A clearly identified management with legal responsibility for ensuring adherence to environmental terms and conditions * Compliance with the terms and conditions of the prior environmental clearance The government has clarified that the pre-defined set of activities will involve assessing various categories of projects and activities, including industries categorized into red, orange, green, blue, and white categories. This will also involve information on common infrastructure such as greenbelts, boilers, and waste management facilities. Once the industrial estate or complex has obtained environmental clearance, individual units within it will not require separate appraisal for establishment, modernization, expansion, or change in product mix. They will, however, be regulated through Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) issued under relevant pollution control acts. The clarification also states that there is no requirement for amendment in the environmental clearance for the industrial estate or complex if there is no increase in pollution load. EIA consultants have welcomed the move, but emphasized the need for careful assessment of pollution load to avoid unforeseen environmental impacts. The clarification is expected to simplify the environmental clearance process for industrial estates and complexes, making it easier for them to set up and operate in India.