In an effort to speed up the process of renewing consent to operate for industrial units, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has brought in an auto-renewal system.
This system will be applicable to existing industries of ‘red’, ‘orange’ and ‘green’ categories that have already obtained their first renewal of consent.
There are over 40,000 industry units in the State and just about 200 engineers to grant renewal of consent — usually done after visiting the units’ premises. This invariably delays the renewal, say TNPCB officials.
“Such a system has already been successfully implemented by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. During the first renewal, TNPCB verifies the functioning of the industry and checks for compliance of various parameters. Unless the industry expands or there is increase in production, the emission levels remain nearly the same,” says an official. The Board will, however, continue periodical inspections and lift samples from smoke stacks.
Industrial units can print out the consent renewal application form from the TNPCB website and submit it to the respective district environmental engineer’s office with a demand draft.
At present, consent renewal takes about five months. “According to norms it should be completed in 60 days. However, it gets invariably delayed, and without the consent, you cannot run your unit. Similarly, with hazardous waste authorisation, such wastes cannot be disposed and you will have to store it,” says an industrialist.
He says a deadline must be set for auto renewal and reasons for any delays must be cited by TNPCB.
