Loading...
Loading...
Law Update
Quick note
Below is the official summary and the reference document preview. Use “Open PDF” for full screen view.
The Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB), has notified revised industrial siting criteria for industries operating under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
The new criteria prescribe minimum distance requirements that industries must maintain from water bodies, settlements, protected forests and other sensitive locations. These requirements will be important for businesses planning new industrial units, expansion projects or changes in existing operations in Chhattisgarh.
For companies, compliance with these criteria at the project planning stage will play an important role in obtaining environmental approvals and avoiding regulatory issues.
Industrial siting criteria are the location-based conditions that determine where an industry can be established. These criteria prescribe the minimum distance an industrial unit must maintain from environmentally sensitive areas such as rivers, lakes, forests, residential settlements, educational institutions and heritage sites.
The objective is to minimise the environmental and public health impacts of industrial activities while ensuring that new projects are developed in suitable locations. Before granting environmental approvals or consent to establish, the pollution control authority considers whether the proposed site complies with the applicable siting requirements.
Industrial location plays an important role in controlling environmental risks. Industries located close to water bodies, residential areas, forests or other sensitive locations may create higher risks related to air emissions, wastewater discharge and environmental degradation.
To reduce environmental risks, CECB has introduced minimum distance requirements for industries based on their pollution category. These criteria help determine, whether a proposed site is suitable before an industry is established.
The requirements apply while establishing industries under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981. Industries classified as Red, Orange and Green categories will need to follow different distance limits depending on their pollution potential and surrounding environment.
The Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board has issued the revised siting criteria using its powers under:
These provisions allow the pollution control authority to issue directions for regulating industries and controlling activities that may contribute to environmental pollution.
The criteria provide a framework for assessing whether a proposed industrial location is suitable from an environmental compliance perspective before granting necessary approvals.
The notification specifies minimum distances that industries must maintain from different environmentally sensitive areas. The applicable distance depends on the industry category.
1. Distance from Surface Water Bodies
Industries must maintain a minimum distance from the nearest boundary of surface water bodies, including flood plains, High Flood Level (HFL) areas and red line areas identified through revenue records.
The distance requirements are:
| Industry Category | Minimum Distance Required |
| Red Category Industries | More than 500 metres |
| Orange Category Industries with effluent generation | More than 75 metres |
| Orange Category Industries without effluent generation | More than 30 metres |
| Green Category Industries | More than 30 metres |
Industries with higher pollution potential have stricter distance requirements due to the possible impact of industrial discharge, accidental releases or contamination risks.
2. Distance from Settlements and Other Sensitive Locations
The revised criteria also prescribe distance requirements from locations such as:
The minimum distance requirements are:
| Industry Category | Minimum Distance Required |
| Red Category Industries | More than 500 metres |
| Orange Category Industries | More than 200 metres |
| Green Category Industries | More than 100 metres |
This requirement is particularly relevant for businesses selecting land for new projects, as unsuitable locations may create difficulties during environmental approval processes.
3. Distance from Protected Forest Boundaries
Industries must maintain a minimum distance from the notified boundaries of protected forests. The prescribed distance is:
| Industry Category | Minimum Distance Required |
| Red Category Industries | More than 100 metres |
| Orange Category Industries | More than 100 metres |
| Green Category Industries | More than 100 metres |
Companies planning industrial projects near forest areas will need to consider these requirements during land assessment and project planning.
The revised criteria make environmental site assessment an important step before establishing or expanding industrial operations in Chhattisgarh.
Earlier, businesses often focused mainly on land availability, infrastructure and operational suitability while selecting locations. However, environmental distance requirements now need to be considered at the beginning of project planning to avoid approval-related challenges later.
Impact on New Industrial Projects
Companies setting up new manufacturing facilities will need to verify whether the proposed location meets CECB requirements before investing in construction and infrastructure.
A location that does not satisfy the prescribed distance criteria may result in difficulties while applying for Consent to Establish (CTE).
Impact on Expansion Projects
Existing industries planning expansion, capacity enhancement or modification of processes may also need to assess whether the revised criteria affect their proposed activities.
Changes in production capacity, additional pollution load or installation of new processes can trigger additional regulatory review.
Impact on Industrial Land Selection
Real estate and industrial land decisions will require greater environmental due diligence. Businesses may need to check:
Early assessment can help companies avoid purchasing or developing land that may create regulatory limitations.
The revised siting criteria are relevant for industries requiring environmental permissions from CECB. The impact will mainly be seen in sectors where pollution potential, emissions or effluent generation are significant.
Industries that may need to consider these requirements include:
Industrial developers, project consultants and companies acquiring land for manufacturing operations will also need to consider these criteria during planning.
Complying with industrial siting requirements can become challenging if environmental factors are not considered at the early stages of a project.
Some common challenges include:
Before finalising a project location in Chhattisgarh, industries should include environmental compliance assessment as part of their planning process.
Important steps include:
A planned compliance approach can help businesses avoid unexpected regulatory hurdles after major investments have already been made.
Reviewing the siting criteria before finalising a project location can help businesses identify regulatory requirements at an early stage and avoid unnecessary setbacks during project development.
Key benefits include:
Setting up or expanding an industrial facility requires careful evaluation of environmental regulations, pollution control requirements and approval procedures. Corpseed helps businesses understand applicable compliance obligations and navigate regulatory processes with greater clarity.
Our support includes:
We help businesses understand applicable environmental requirements based on industry category, project location and operational activities.
Corpseed assists industries with Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) compliance requirements under pollution control board regulations.
We support businesses in assessing whether proposed industrial locations align with applicable siting criteria and environmental requirements.
Our team helps review and prepare documents required for pollution control board submissions and environmental approvals.
We assist businesses in tracking regulatory updates and understanding changing environmental compliance requirements affecting industrial operations.
Document Preview
Embedded reference document