Builders of apartments and other multi-storied structures in the State need not obtain environmental clearance from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in future, if the built up area of such structures is within two lakh sq. ft., according to Minister for Environment and Ecology J. Krishna Palemar.
In an informal chat with presspersons here on Sunday on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the “City Centre”, the super mall, the Minister said that the Government was contemplating on increasing the exemption limit for obtaining environmental clearance from the KSPCB from the present 20,000 sq. ft. built up area to two lakh sq. ft. However, environmental clearance will have to be obtained for buildings exceeding this limit.
The Minister said that the industries classified under red category need not seek renewal of the board's clearance annually as the Government was proposing to make it a five-yearly exercise. The government had proposed to give clearance for setting up industries under orange and green categories at the district level, instead of State capital.
The Minister said that these proposals were pending for approval from the board.
