White-Category Industries No Longer Need Pollution Control Clearance

New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has announced that white-category industries are now exempt from obtaining clearance from the State Pollution Control Board (PCB).

These industries include, among others, manufacturing units that produce solar cells and modules, wind and hydropower plants, fly ash bricks and blocks, leather cutting and stitching units, and facilities involved in the assembly, repair, and servicing of air coolers and air conditioners. All these sectors fall under the 'white category' of industries, which are considered to have minimal environmental impact. This classification was established by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2016 to identify industries that pose the least risk of pollution. As a result, these industries are subject to fewer regulatory requirements and are exempt from certain clearances, making it easier for them to operate and expand while ensuring minimal harm to the environment.

A recent government notification stated that these industries no longer need to secure either the "consent to establish" or "consent to operate" from the PCB, which were previously mandatory.

Industries are classified into four categories—white, green, orange, and red—based on the level of air and water pollution they generate. The list of white-category industries includes 39 different types, such as those assembling bicycles, air-conditioners, and air-coolers; cotton-wool manufacturing; tea blending and packing; chalk production from plaster of Paris; diesel pump servicing; coir-making; metal cap manufacturing; and assembling medical equipment.

This change is expected to streamline processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for these industries.

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