Non-Polluting ‘White Category’ Industries May No Longer Need State Permissions
Image Credits: The Indian Express
July 25, 2024: The government has unveiled a new categorization system for industries based on their pollution load, aiming to provide a clearer and more accurate representation of industrial pollution. Minister of State for Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar, announced the new categorization, highlighting the introduction of the ‘White’ category for non-polluting industries, which will no longer require Environmental Clearance (EC) and Consent to Establish/Operate (CTE/CTO). This move is expected to facilitate financing from lending institutions for these industries.
“The re-categorization of industries based on their pollution load is a scientific exercise. The old system was problematic and did not accurately reflect the pollution levels of industries. The new categories will rectify this and provide a clear picture to everyone,” Javadekar stated. He noted that 25 industrial sectors previously categorized as ‘Red’ despite not being critically polluting will now be accurately categorized.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) developed the new categorization criteria based on the Pollution Index (PI), which measures emissions, effluents, hazardous waste generation, and resource consumption. The PI ranges from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating higher pollution loads.
The new categorization system classifies industries into four categories based on their Pollution Index (PI) scores: red, orange, green, and white. The red category includes industrial sectors with a PI score of 60 and above; the orange category encompasses sectors with a PI score between 41 and 59; the green category covers sectors with a PI score between 21 and 40; and the white category includes sectors with a PI score up to 20. As part of the re-categorization, the red category now includes 60 industrial sectors, the orange category comprises 83 industrial sectors, the green category includes 63 industrial sectors, and the newly introduced white category contains 36 industrial sectors deemed non-polluting.
White Category Industries
Industries in the White category, such as solar power generation, wind power, and certain manufacturing processes like assembling electric lamps, will not need to obtain CTE/CTO permits. Instead, a simple intimation to the concerned State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) or Pollution Control Committee (PCC) will suffice.
Environmental and Economic Impact
The re-categorization aims to promote cleaner technologies and reduce pollutant generation. By facilitating self-assessment and eliminating subjectivity in pollution assessment, the new system supports the government’s objective of creating a clean and transparent working environment, thus enhancing the ease of doing business.
Javadekar emphasized, “This landmark decision ensures that industries are established in a manner consistent with environmental objectives. The new criteria will encourage industrial sectors to adopt cleaner technologies.”
Ongoing and Future Efforts
The government’s broader environmental initiatives include the installation of continuous online emissions and effluent monitoring systems in polluting industries, revisiting the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) for assessing polluted industrial clusters, revising emission and effluent discharge standards, and intensifying pollution control activities in the Ganga River basin.
The new categorization system represents a significant step towards a sustainable industrial landscape, ensuring environmental protection while supporting industrial growth and innovation.
Press Release: https://pib.gov.in/newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=137373
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