Govt exempts 36 industries from environmental clearance
05 March, New Delhi
The Government today exempted 36 industries, including air conditioners, bicycles, electronic item, fly ash bricks, cotton and woollen hosiers making and leather cutting from environmental clearance.These industries had been placed in a new category of White Industries which are practically non-polluting and having Pollution Index (PI) score upto 20.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had developed the criteria of categorisation of industrial sectors based on the PI which was a function of emissions (air pollutants), effluents (water pollutants), hazardous wastes generated and consumption of resources.
The PI of any industrial sector has a number from 0 to 100 and the rising value denotes the increasing degree of pollution load from the industrial sector.Releasing the new categorisation here today, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, said,
The new category of White Industries which is practically non-polluting will not require Environmental Clearance and consent and will help in getting finance from lending institutions. “The exercise of re-categorisation was being carried out for last one year. This is a landmark decision to give a fair picture of the industries.”
Re-categorisation of industries based on their pollution load is a scientific exercise. The old system was creating problems for many industries and was not reflecting the pollution of the industries,” the Minister said.Industrial sectors having PI score of 60 and above are categorised Red, 41 to 59 the industry is Orange, with PI score of 21 to 40 they are categorised as Green, industries having PI score including and upto 20 are categorised as White.
After several meetings among CPCB, SPCBs and MoEFCC, the following criteria on Range of Pollution Index’ for the purpose of categorisation of industrial sectors is finalised. The new criteria would prompt industrial sectors willing to adopt cleaner technologies, ultimately resulting in generation of fewer pollutants.
Another feature of the new categorisation system lies in facilitating self-assessment by industries as the subjectivity of earlier assessment has been eliminated. This Re-categorization was a part of the efforts, policies and objective of present government to create a clean and transparent working environment in the country and promote ease of doing business.