Govt reconstitutes pollution control board working group

New Delhi: To smoothen clearance of projects held at state pollution control boards (SPCBs), the Centre has reconstituted a working group to simplify procedures to get consent certificates and categorisation of industries.

It will also look into self-declaration/self-regulation of green compliances by industries, increase penalty in case of violation, among other issues.

The 11-member group, headed by the Chairman of the Karnataka SPCB, has been asked to submit a report by next month, prior to the 59th conference of SPCBs and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs), an office memorandum said.

The terms of reference of the Working Group include developing standard operating procedure and inspection process relating to granting of 'consent to establish' and 'consent to operate' including validity of consents and implementing common consent application forms.

The Group has also been asked to its views on whether to supplement inspection activities of SPCBs/PCCs with third party audit inspection and synchronise multiple inspection under various regulations.

That apart, it will look into inspection frequency, granting of consents and harmonisation of red, orange and green categories of industries.

The original working group had dealt with same issues but could not submit the report.