Centre to 'revisit' pollution categorisation of industries

The categorisation will be done on the basis of composite score (100 marks) which may be assigned in accordance with suggested weightage, says Environment Minister

The government has decided to "revisit" the three-colour categorisation for classification of industries as per their pollution potential, Lok Sabha was told today.

"The government has decided to 'revisit' the categorisation system for classification of industries under red, orange and green categories," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said while replying to a question.

He said that recently during a conference of environment ministers of states, it was resolved to adopt pollution criteria for categorisation of red, orange and green categories of industries and a committee be constituted with state representatives.
 

He said that in the 59th conference of chairmen and member secretaries of pollution control boards and pollution control committees held in Delhi on April 8 this year, it was agreed to constitute a committee to look into categorisation system of industries based on pollution potential.

He said that accordingly a committee headed by the Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and comprising chairman state pollution control boards has been constituted.

"The categorisation will be done on the basis of composite score (100 marks) which may be assigned in accordance with suggested weightage," he said.

Earlier, Javadekar had said that the industrial sectors which will score more than 60 will be categorised as red, those scoring between 30-59 will be orange, 15-29 green and below 15 will be considered as white as they are environment friendly.

The Minister had said that his Ministry is also planning to do away with renewal or certification of industries on a yearly basis.

"We want to do away with every year renewal of the industries. We have suggested five years renewal for red category, ten years for orange and one time certification for green," he had said.