Union Government to re-classify industries in a three-coloured scheme based on pollution potential

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 7 April 2015 proposed a colour-coded system to re-classify industries based on pollution potential. As per the proposal, the industries will be re-classified under three-coloured scheme, viz., Red, Orange and Green.

The proposal was part of the resolution adopted at the two-day State Environment and Forest Ministers' Conference at which measures to amend regulations to improve ease-of-doing business while protecting the environment was discussed.

Proposed colour-coded scheme
• Red Category: Industrial sectors with a score of 60 and more
• Orange Category: Industrial sectors with a score between 30 to 59
• Green Category: Industrial sectors with a score between 15 to 29

Industrial sectors scoring below 15 will be considered as white as they are environment friendly.

New renewal system for industries
Further, it is proposed to scrap the present system of annual renewal of certification for industries and replace it with a scheme that ties in with the colour-coded categories. Thus, as per the new renewal system:
• Industrial sectors falling under Red category will be given consent to operate with the validity period of five years
• Industrial sectors falling under Orange category will be given consent to operate for ten years
• Industrial sectors falling under Green category will be given a onetime consent

Apart from this, the individual units’ operative under this colour-coded scheme in various sectors will earn stars for compliance with environmental norms.

The two-day conference, which was participated by 30 ministers from different state looked upon a wide range of issues like waste to wealth, ease of doing business, TSR Subramanian committee recommendations, forest, wildlife, pollution-related issues, biodiversity and climate change.