NEW DELHI: The government is looking to introduce a self-assessment regime for submitting annual compliance reports for pollution monitoring, along the lines of the self-assessment of income tax under Form 16. The idea is to cut down on corruption and to simplify the license renewal procedure for the industry which otherwise is at the mercy of the state pollution control boards.
The plan is to have environment auditors similar to water auditors and energy auditors in the Central Ground Water Board and Bureau of Energy Efficiency respectively.
The National Productivity Council is already designing a scheme so that environment auditors certified by the Quality Control of India (QCI) can do an independent annual environment audit for the industry seeking renewal of licenses and No-objection certificates to operate. As of now, all these activities are done by the State Pollution Control Boards and the government is looking to cut down on red-tapism and corruption in the area.
"The idea is to bring in reforms so that the industry does not have to run from one office to another seeking approvals for a project. It is like one window clearance for everything. More such measures are being planned in the coming months," said a senior ministry official, adding a self-assessment will also cut down delays that happen at the level of state authorities.
The industry bodies have been regularly holding meetings with the ministry officials to streamline procedures and cut down on delays caused by long procedures, especially at the state level.
According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the government has shown a commitment to synchronizing the ease of doing business and normalization of conformities without compromising environmental conditions.
An analysis by the CII environment division shows the union environment ministry has streamlined more than 25,000 compliance conditions to support ease of living and ease of doing business. It further says the average time for granting environment clearance has reduced significantly from more than 150 days in 2019 to less than 90 days and in some sectors, even within 60 days.
The recent amendments to decriminalise violations under the five environment laws dealing with air, water, forest, public liability in case of disaster, and environmental protection is a move to ensure that industry is not treated like a criminal for violations and to end the fear of being imprisoned for small violations.
Some of the recent amendments in the procedures by the union environment ministry has invited criticism and recent being the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022, making provisions for forest rights of indigenous people provided under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 to be settled after final approval for forest clearances.