Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) has been functioning since 1.4.1992 in U.T. of Puducherry. It is a statutory body in the Department of Science, Technology & Environment. PPCC realized the importance of protecting the fragile ecosystem of the U.T. and enforcing the provisions of Rules and Acts pertaining to environment protection. Pondicherry consists of various ecosystems like marine, freshwater, mountain, crop, mangroves and duns’ ecosystems. Establishment of private medical colleges and rapid urbanization leads to generation of considerable quantity of bio medical wastes and municipal solid wastes. Managing these wastes are great challenges to this Administration. PPCC in collaboration with private entrepreneur and other stakeholders are trying to find sustainable solution by establishing Common facility.
PPCC encourages industry to shift the conventional technology to Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in order to minimize the greenhouse gases and mitigate ongoing climate changes. PPCC is not only adopting command and control policy but also providing consultancy, advocacy and disseminating of best practicing technology. It identifies and recognizes the industries who are adopting the green technology by awarding Green Award.
Vision of PPCC
PPCC has developed vision statement as:
Improvement in the Boards functional efficiency transparency in operation, and adequate response to growing needs of environmental protection and sustainable development in Puducherry and is self-explanatory.
PPCC are implementing following programs:
- Pollution control in 17 categories of highly polluting industries
- Pollution control from industries discharging wastewater into rivers and lakes
- Envenomization of pollution industries in the State and ensuring their compliance to the Pollution control norms
- Restoration of environmental quality in critically polluted areas
- Monitoring of water and ambient air quality in the States
- Hazardous waste
- Bio-medical and Management of Municipal Solid Wastes
Objectives of PPCB
- Sustainable Development: - Sustainable development is a wide concept that balances the need for economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
- Prevention: - To control the prevention of natural resources.
- Waste Management: - Effective Waste Management is a great source to protect the environment.
- Consumer awareness: - Pollution can be reduced by awareness such as by convincing general public to use CFL, paper bags, public transport and not to use firecrackers, plastic bags or any other non-biodegradable products.
- Compliance: - PPCB laid down some guidelines for industries and Health care establishments to reduce environmental pollution in Uttar Pradesh.
Main Functions of the PPCB
- Provide recommendations to the Puducherry Government on any matter concerning prevention and control of water and air pollution and improvement of the quality of air.
- Organize consumer awareness programs on the prevention and control of air and water pollution and waste management through mass media.
- Collect, compile and prepare technical and statistical data related to air and water pollution.
- Lay down the standard of sewage and trade effluents and for emission from industrial plant, automobiles and Health Care Establishment.
- To help on the development of new technology for the treatment of sewage, trade effluents and control equipment.
- Issuance of consent certificate to industries falling in different categories such as Red, Orange, Green and White.
- Issuance of the Authorization to industries and health care establishments, falling in Bio-Medical waste Authorization, Hazardous waste Management Authorization, Plastic Waste Management, Battery waste Management, and E-waste Authorization.
PPCB Categories & Classification of Business Activities
The industries in Puducherry has been classified in Red, Orange, and Green category as per the list, indicating the classification of 649 industries as per new guidelines.
The industries categorized under Red, Orange and Green category only need to apply for Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under the Air & Water Act. The industries categorized under white category are not required to obtain Consent to establish and operate, it is required only to intimate Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) within 30 days from Establishment of business with an undertaking.