New Delhi: In what could be a major boost for the renewable energy sector, the government is planning a mechanism wherein the renewable energy industry would not require a “consent to operate” from pollution boards.
The environment ministry had initially planned to categorize industries under a three-colour scheme—red, orange and green—depending on their pollution potential but is now proposing to add another colour, white, for non-polluting industries like renewable energy.
“Renewable energy units like wind and solar power plants are a non polluting industry and there is no point in them being subjected to the cycle of seeking permissions from pollution monitoring bodies like central and state pollution control boards,” said a senior environment ministry official involved in the process, who did not want to be named.
“The move is another step towards the government’s initiative of ease of doing business. It would also encourage the renewable energy sector which is a special focus area of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government,” the environment ministry official said.
The environment ministry is working out details of this scheme in collaboration with state governments and other departments in the central government.
Under the scheme, the industries will get scores on the basis of generation of emission (air pollution), effluents (water pollution) and hazardous waste. Scores above 60 will put an industry in the red category, between 30-59 in orange, 15-29 in green and less than 15 in the white category.
Most of the 17 critically polluting industries including cement, thermal power plants, distillery, sugar, paper and pulp will remain in the red category and would require consent from the state or central pollution control boards every five years.
Under the scheme, no red category industries will be allowed to be set up in sensitive areas such as urban areas, eco-sensitive areas and protective areas.
