Maharashtra Pollution Board NOC

The Maharashtra Prevention of Water Pollution Act, 1969 provisions enabled the formation of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board on September 7, 1970. On January 6, 1981, Maharashtra adopted the Water (P&CP) Act, 1974, a piece of federal provision on 1st June 1981.  As a result, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board was established in accordance with section 4 of the Water (P&CP) Act, 1974. In 1983, Maharashtra implemented the Air (P&CP) Act 1981, and on February 25, 1983, some areas were initially designated as Air Pollution Control Areas. Since 6th November 1996, the entire state of Maharashtra has been defined as an Air Pollution Control Area. In accordance with Section 5 of the Air (P&CP) Act of 1981, the Board also performs the duties of the State Board.

• To create a comprehensive scheme for the preventative measures, control, or eradication of pollution of streams and wells, as well as air pollution, within the State, and to ensure its implementation.
• The goals are to successfully control water and air pollution as well as to maintain and improve the overall quality of the water for a variety of uses.
• By strategically locating new companies and relocating existing ones when needed, the demand for pollution management can be reduced.
• Use adequately treated waste on lands for industrial and agricultural purposes, and increase the quantity of sewage and industrial effluents that are recycled or reused.
• Control pollution at the source while considering the techno-economic efficiency of both liquid and gaseous effluents.
• To promote research into and analysis of pollution-related issues, undertake such research and take part in such research.
• To provide advice to the State government on any issue relating to pollution management, prevention, or locating the source.
• To develop cost-effective methods for waste disposal.

What Are The Main Functions Of The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Registration?

• To develop a comprehensive program for pollution prevention, control, or eradication and to ensure its implementation.
• To gather and disseminate information on pollution and its prevention, control, or emission reduction.
• In connection with the consent granted, to examine wastewater or trade effluent treatment and disposal facilities, along with air pollution control systems, and to review plans, requirements, or any other data relating to the treatment facilities, disposal systems, and air pollution control systems.
• Supporting and encouraging developments in pollution control, waste reuse and recycling eco-friendly practices, and so on.
• To educate and guide entrepreneurs in environmental improvement by selecting appropriate pollution prevention technologies and techniques.
• Raising public awareness about the importance of a clean and healthy environment, as well as responding to public complaints about pollution.
• To establish guidelines for the handling of waste that is disposed of into a particular stream.

Who Needs an Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) NOC?

An individual or Project Proponent, who is operating the Industry or Project of Manufacturing unit, Clinics, Hospitals, Hotels, or Restaurants in the State of Maharashtra, need to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the State Pollution Control Board along with compliance and its rules and regulations. The Pollution Control Board grants consent to anyone who wishes to operate or establish an industrial plant or any other project in the State of Maharashtra.

In 1989, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued notices to restrict the operation of several enterprises. The idea of classifying industries as Red, Orange, Green, and White was intended to make decisions about where to locate these companies. Later, the use of this concept was expanded to other regions of the nation for a variety of purposes, including the management of consent and the creation of standards for the surveillance and inspection of enterprises. The size of the industries and resource consumption have been the main factors in categorizing processes. The contamination brought on by the release of pollutants and effluents, as well as the potential harm to human health, were not taken into consideration. A more explicit categorization of the industrial sectors was requested by the SPCBs/PCCs and business organizations. Any industrial sector's Pollution Index, or PI, is a number between 0 and 100, and an increasing PI value indicates a greater pollution load coming from that sector. Following the conclusion of several brainstorming sessions between CPCB, SPCBs, and MoEFCC, the following Range of Pollution Index criterion for classifying industrial sectors has been finalized. 

• Red Category: Industrial Sectors with Pollution Index scores of 60 or higher fall under the "Red" category. 
• Orange Category: Industrial Sectors with Pollution Index scores of 41 to 59 go under the "Orange" category. 
• Green Category: Industrial Sectors with Pollution Index scores of 21 to 40 fall under the "Green" category.
• White Category: Industrial Sectors with a Pollution Index score of 20 or lower fall under the “White” category.

Features of Categorization

According to scientific standards, the relative pollution potential of the industrial sectors has received the proper attention. Additionally, whenever possible, the industrial sectors are divided depending on the utilization of raw materials, the production process chosen, and the subsequent pollutants anticipated to be produced.

• There are 60 industrial sectors in the Red category.
• The 83rd industrial sector would fall under the Orange category.
• There would be 63 industrial sectors in the green category.
• The 36 industrial sectors that make up the newly created White category are essentially pollution-free.
• For White category industries, acquiring consent to operate is not required. It is sufficient to notify the appropriate SPCB or PCC.
• Red-category industries are not allowed in ecologically vulnerable or protected areas.

A business owner operating or developing a process that discharges effluent or emits pollutants into water resources, on land, or the air and consequently pollutes the environment and so is required to acquire consent under the requirements of these Acts.  

• Consent to Establish (CTE): This approval must be sought before starting any business or procedure.
• Consent to Operate (CTO): The business owner must seek consent to operate the unit once the industrial or process plant has been constructed with the necessary pollution control systems. This permission is granted for a specific amount of time and must be renewed regularly.

How to Establish Consent under the MPCB?

Following is the procedure for new users to register and apply for consent on the MPCB portal-

• Log onto the MPCB website and proceed to a portal called “MAITRI”. It is mandatory to first register on “MAITRI” before being able to apply on the MPCB portal.
• The applicant needs to fill in their details on MAITRI and create a user login which shall then get them registered.
• The registration form will consist of a username and a password that will be used to log in to the post the applicant shall proceed to fill out a Common Application Form (CAF) which includes filling in one’s Aadhar, PAN details, address, industry, and product information, etc.
• Upload the relevant documents.
• Pay a fee of Rs. 20 as registration for applying on MAITRI.
• After downloading the receipt, visit the services supplied to view the list of services offered on the MAITRI portal.
• By clicking on any of the services, the applicant is instantly redirected to the MPCB registration page, where all the fields are pre-filled. The applicant must complete the registration on the MPCB portal by filling out any further fields that may be required. In situations where MAITRI receives all required fields, the applicant doesn't need to register; the system will do it for them. The applicant is automatically registered on the MPCB site, and he receives notifications through email and SMS with his login information.
• The applicant shall then complete a one-time verification through mobile and a one-time document verification post which they may move toward the application section and select the relevant service. The application section contains an option called “Application for Consent” which needs to be selected by them.
• As the applicant can view their application, there will be a section for papers where all required documents must be uploaded.
• The payment area will open once all required documents have been uploaded. NEFT/RTGS or an E-payment gateway is available for user payment. If the payment was made online, the payment details part must be uploaded first.

The procedure for obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) in the State of Maharashtra dealt with the Maharashtra Prevention of Water Pollution Act,1969. Also, the provisions of the Board were formed in accordance with the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Section 5 of the Air (P &CP) Act, 1981. The Project Proponent and Start-ups who are willing to run their business project must have to obtain consent before the establishment of the Project anywhere in the State of Maharashtra. All the Projects, Industries, Non-industries units have been categorized under four categories that are Red, Orange, Green, and White according to the range under which it comes in the Pollution Index and Pollution Potential for Consent management. Since the given date of the project which is already in Operation needs to obtain Consent to operate and there is no need to obtain Consent to Establish permission as such Projects are already established and might be in operation.

Let’s understand the procedure:

• Connect with the Corpseed team.
• Provide necessary documents for the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Consent/CTE/CTO
• We will assign a dedicated Consultant, an expert in managing the whole process of getting Consent/CTE/CTO from MPCB
• Our Pollution Control expert will reach out to you and complete the procedure to obtain a Pollution License for your Business
• Our Expert Consultant will draft & apply with Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board (MPCB)
• We will deliver Consent/CTE/CTO to you via email and courier

Restriction on the Establishment of Project at a certain Location

The Project/Industries shall only be able to operate at a certain location such as in Ecologically Fragile areas/Protected areas/residential areas or colonies.

• Balance Sheet, Capital Investment, and CA Certificate
• Manufacturing Process and site plan
• PAN and Aadhar card
• GST Certificate
• Business Registration
• A land registry certificate
• A thorough pollution control system proposal

The MPCB initiated a scheme where a CTE can be auto-renewed. Any industry that declares compliance with environmental regulations and makes a self-declaration by filling out a form is eligible for such renewal. The CTE and CTOs were initially considered uniformly by the State Board through their consent Management Scheme. Due to the vast expansion of industries, it was a task for the board to manage renewals, which would result in delays, hence such a scheme was introduced by the board. The board would take 4 months the consideration the application. The applications would be subject to the following terms-

• The scheme applies to those industries that have no change or an increase in the capacity of their production or emission of pollutants.
• The industries that are granted consent only by the CC/CAC committees of the MPCB are granted such a renewal.
• In case of an increase in the capital due to an infrastructural change, pollution control mechanism, or production machinery, that does not increase their pollution index, can avail of such service by paying the required fees.
• A self-certification complying with the required conditions is mandatory and must be submitted to the Board.
• Such renewal is valid for 5 terms.
• Enterprises shall submit in the format and with a fee the headquarters of the MPCB. The renewal shall be visible to the applicant within 7 days.