While setting up new manufacturing business different types of approval from the government are required

One of these mandatory requirements is to obtain consent from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)

Obtaining such consents from the respective state pollution control board can be a lot of hassle which is why we have made this ultimate guide to help you out 

Applicability:

Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is applicable to the unit which is likely to discharge sewage and effluents into the environment.

Also if any of the following acts are applied to the manufacturing unit one has to take consent from the state pollution and control board:

1. Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, 
2. E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and 
3. Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Types:

Basically there are two Consents :

Consent to Establish or CTE : Consent to establish is obtained before establishing any unit. This is usually a one time activity 

Consent to operate or CTO : Once the unit is established then according to the type of work for the Chemicals involved a consent to operate is taken. CTO is usually valid for a period of 5 years which varies from state to state 

Categories :

In order to harmonize the criteria of categorization CPCB has issued directions Under section 18(1)(b) of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 the industry has been categorised as follows : 

• Red category: Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above 
• Orange category : Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 41 to 59 
• Green category : Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 21 to 40 
• White category: Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score incl.& up to 20 

Given below are hyperlink which states the modified directions for re-categorization of consents :

Central Pollution control board circulate dated25/01/2021:

https://mpcb.gov.in/sites/default/files/consent-management/CPCBcategorizatipon25012021.pdf

The Ministry of Environment carries out this classification, Forest and Climate Change, to differentiate between industries with the highest pollution index and those with the lowest as follows: 

(i) Red category: These industries has the highest pollution index, such as big manufacturing industries, large hotels, super speciality hospitals, etc. 

(ii) Orange category: These industries are relatively medium-sized enterprises, which still generates comparatively high levels of pollutants like cashew nut processing, coffee seed processing, pharmaceutical formulation.

(iii) Green category : These are the industries with low pollution Index like small bakeries, storage of food grains, leather footwear, and products, cement products 

(iv) White category: These are the industries with no pollution practically like Biscuit trays, rolled PVC sheet (using automatic vacuum forming machines),

Exemption:

Industries coming under white category are exempted from obtaining consent under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. 

Industries and business under white category got to self govern themselves and are supposed to intimate various State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) within 30 days of commencement of their business.

However the industry need to satisfy the following condition in order to qualify for the exemption :

1. The industry shall be locally demarcated 
2. The investment in plant and machinery shall not be more than 1 crore 
3. There shall not be any discharge of effluents or trade effluents into stream or sewer or land 
4. The industry shall not discharge any hazardous waste 

Process for application:

Submit an application to the respective State pollution control board (SPCB) along with prescribed fees.

At later stages there shall be an inspection by the state pollution and control board regarding the particular that have been submitted along with application different industries and sectors