Question 1

All industries are now exempted from environmental clearances in India to boost manufacturing.

Accepted Answer

The exemption strictly targets 'White Category' (practically non-polluting, PI score up to 20) industries; other categories simply have their CTE merged with the Environmental Clearance process to avoid duplication.

Question 2

State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) will lose all authority and revenue over new industrial setups.

Accepted Answer

SPCBs are actively consulted during the central EC process, and industries must still pay the CTE fee to the states to prevent revenue loss.

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the recent MoEFCC notification on environmental approvals:
1. The 'White Category' encompasses industrial sectors with a Pollution Index (PI) score between 21 and 40.
2. Industries that have obtained an Environmental Clearance (EC) are now exempt from acquiring a separate Consent to Establish (CTE).
3. To promote ease of doing business, the CTE fee payable to State Pollution Control Boards has been permanently waived for all industries.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

(a) Only one — Statement 1 is incorrect: White Category industries have a PI score up to 20 (Green is 21-40). Statement 2 is correct: The dual compliance has been removed, merging CTE conditions into the EC. Statement 3 is incorrect: The CTE fee must still be paid during the EC process to prevent revenue loss to the states.

Question 4

Match the CPCB Industrial Categories (List I) with their corresponding Pollution Index (PI) scores (List II):
List I (Category)
A. Red Category
B. Orange Category
C. Green Category
D. White Category

List II (PI Score)
1. 41 to 59
2. Up to 20
3. 60 and above
4. 21 to 40

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

(a) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2 — The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) calculates the Pollution Index (PI) based on air, water, and hazardous waste. Red Category indicates high pollution potential (PI 60 and above). Orange Category is moderate (PI 41-59). Green Category is low (PI 21-40). White Category is practically non-polluting (PI up to 20).

Question 5

Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has completely eliminated the Consent to Establish (CTE) requirement for all newly proposed industrial projects in India.
Reason (R): The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, allows the Central Government to exempt certain categories of industrial plants from seeking permits.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

Accepted Answer

(d) A is false but R is true — Assertion (A) is false because the MoEFCC has not completely eliminated CTE for ALL industries. It has exempted 'White Category' industries and merged the CTE requirement into the Environmental Clearance (EC) process for others. Polluting industries lacking an EC still require a CTE. Reason (R) is true as recent legislative amendments like the Jan Vishwas Act and the Water Amendment Act 2024 empowered the Centre to issue these specific exemptions.

MoEFCC Exempts White Category Industries from Dual Environmental Approvals

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