Now, Chandigarh pollution control panel to issue e-consent to industries

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Chandigarh, October 9

Doing away with the time-consuming process, the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) will now issue consent (no-objection certificate) online to the industries.

UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore today launched the ‘e-consent service’.

During the function, Badnore said the role of the CPCC was important to regulate the pollution of the City Beautiful. At the same time, for proper growth of industries, fast disposal of their applications for consent to establish/operate was also equally important.

“This is a big stride towards transparency in governance and fast delivery of services to the citizens. The e-consent to the public will be issued which will not only substantially reduce the normal processing time of application, but also spare the officers to divert their energy for other productive works,” he said.

Debendra Dalai, Member Secretary, CPCC, said normally a physical copy of the consent was issued after the approval of the competent authority.

“This process consumes substantial time of employees. As a result, several important areas remain unattended. Now, e-consent will be generated and issued to the units automatically on the approval of the competent authority,” he said.

The step had been taken to enhance the efficiency of the office taking advantage of the technology available. Besides transparency in governance, the system would also help in creating a positive eco-system in carrying out industrial activities in the UT, he said.

Now, applicants need not to come to the office and they can apply from anywhere. After the approval, they can get the consent order in the portal which can be downloaded anytime anywhere. It will be beneficial for all industries as well as DG set owners.

Appreciating the efforts of the CPCC for the move, Manoj Parida, UT Adviser, and Arun Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary (Environment), UT, said the facility of e-consent would definitely lessen the work load of both CPCC as well as public. They appreciated the steps taken for transparency in governance, which is one of the important agendas of the Government of India.

The CPCC is responsible to manage, prevent and control water pollution, air pollution and preservation of the quality of air in the UT.

Before an industry to start operations, it requires the consent of the CPCC to discharge any effluent (sewage or trade effluent) into a stream or well or sewer or on land, and/or emits air pollutants into the atmosphere.

The committee grants consent under Section 25 of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Section 21 of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 for the discharge of trade effluents and discharge of emissions, respectively.