The Punjab Pollution Control Board has been established as a regulatory authority for implementing various pollution control laws. The board is committed to provide pollution free environment to the people of Punjab. The Board has undertaken various studies of underground water, soil and air to take remedial steps to control pollution. The Board has also formulated time-targeted action plan to clean the polluted cities of Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh. Thus the Board wants sustainable development i.e. industrialization of the state along with clean environment. The Board is very conscious of its duty of providing clean and healthy environment to the people of Punjab. To create awareness among people regarding pollution control and its importance, the Board also conducts seminars, debates and painting competition from time to time.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board, with its headquarters at Patiala, looks after the implementation of the Pollution Control Acts in the State. Some of the obligations of the industrial entrepreneur towards control of pollution being discussed here. Any industry wanting to set up its unit in Punjab should take into account the following:

i) Site Plan.

ii) Location plan (indicating plot No, Khasra No, main highways and other references).

iii) List of Directors/Partners/Memorandum of Article of Association.

iv) Copy of acknowledgment from Government of India/License/D.G.T. Registration any other.

v) Manufacturing process details along with flowsheet and material balance statements.

vi) Copy of the project report.

vi) Consent to establish (fee rates are given below)

Rate of Fee For Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate

Consent to Operate

The consent to operate fee will be half of above incase of small scale green categories of industries.

Pollution Clearances

i. Projects falling in the "Green Category"

If the industry is in Green Category of the Pollution Control Board, the entrepreneur should apply in prescribed Performa to the Director of Industries, Punjab. If the application meets the following conditions, the entrepreneur will get the Pollution Control Board clearance within one week: These are the conditions:

A copy of this clearance is sent to the Pollution Control Board , the Punjab State Electricity Board , the Chief Town Planner and the Director of Factories.

ii. Projects falling in the "Red Category"

Industries falling in "Red Category" (Highly Polluting Industries) must get site clearance from the Site Approval Committee of the Labour Department and from the Competent State Authority of the Department of Environment. Besides, if the site of the proposed unit happens to be agriculture land, the entrepreneur must get the Town Planning Department’s permission for change in land use. To save time and speed up implementation of projects procedures have been streamlined as follows:

If the industry is in Red/Hazardous Category of the Pollution Control Board, the entrepreneur should first send their application by registered post in the prescribed format to the Pollution Control Board for clearance with a copy to the Udyog Sahayak. On receipt of application complete in all respects, if the PCB does not take a decision on it within 30 days, it will be deemed that clearance has been given. On the day that the Pollution Control Board gets this application it is supposed to enter it in its computer. This computer system is linked with the Udyog Sahayak’s computer system and the clearance/decision would be communicated through this system to the Director of Industries. By the 31^st day, if a decision on the application is not reflected in the computer system during the preceding 30 days, it is presumed that the Pollution Control Board has not rejected the application and so such clearance can be presumed.

The Director of Industries will give clearance within a week if the application meets the following requirements:

Adequacy Certificate from the Board:

The industries to which environmental clearance is granted by the competent state authority are required to obtain an adequacy certificate from the Board to the effect that the pollution control equipment installed or proposed to be installed are adequate and appropriate to the required standard. For this purpose, the industry is required to submit a detailed feasibility report to the competent authority while requesting issuance of adequacy certificate from the Board. This certificate is granted in a month subject to the condition that complete information has been submitted by the entrepreneur.

No Objection Certificate from Pollution Angle:

The No Objection Certificate is absolutely essential. Without this certificate from the Board the entrepreneur will not be able to get sewer/water connection or release of any loan amount. To get this certificate, the entrepreneur must submit an application to the regional office of the Board on prescribed Performa, in triplicate, accompanied by the following documents:

(i) Site Plan.

ii) Location plan (indicating plot No, Khasra No, main highways and other references).

iii) List of Directors/Partners/Memorandum of Article of Association.

iv) Copy of acknowledgement from Government of India/License/D.G.T. Registration any other.

v) Manufacturing process details along with flowsheet and material balance statements.

vi) Copy of the project report.

Normally, the No Objection Certificate is granted by the Pollution Control Board, Patiala, within two months, subject to the completion of formalities.

The jurisdiction of the various regional offices of the Board is as under:-

Clearance Certificate:

Industries are required to obtain a clearance certificate from the Board before starting production to the effect that appropriate and adequate pollution control equipment/devices have been installed for the release of power connection by PSEB and for getting final installment of loan from financial institutions. The clearance certificate is issued by the Board within one month after the industry submits No Objection Certificate compliance report to the Board complete in all respects.

Consent to operate an outlet/industrial plant under Section 25 of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974/ under Section 21 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981:

Every industry is required to obtain the consent of the Board before operating an outlet for discharge of sewage/trade effluent under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and to operate an industrial plant under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The industry has to submit an application on the prescribed Performa (available with the regional offices) complete in all respects alongwith the requisite fee. The consent to the industry under the said Act will be granted only when the industry submits performance study report of the pollution control devices installed so as to ensure that it is meeting standards prescribed by the Board. As per the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, as amended, the Board has to decide about the consent to operate within a period of four months.

Renewal of Consent:

The Consent to Operate is valid for a specified period. Two months before that period is up, the industry is required to apply to the Board (at the concerned regional office) for the renewal of consent. However, the industry has to submit the compliance report of the condition of the consent granted to industry along with renewal fee. The renewal of consent is granted only when the industry complies with all the conditions of the consent and no violation is reported during the period. As per provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 as amended, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, as amended, the Board has to decide about the consent to operate within a period of four months.