Appeals Minister Javid Rana to ensure swift implementation in J&K
SRINAGAR: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has welcomed the decision of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF), Government of India, to amend the Uniform Consent Guidelines under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, terming the move a much-needed reform aimed at streamlining industrial approvals, reducing delays, and easing compliance-related complexities.
FCIK, in a statement issued here, has appealed to J&K Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Javid Ahmad Rana, to ensure the swift implementation of the amended guidelines, which balance environmental protection with industrial growth and will restore investor confidence while supporting sustainable operations across Jammu and Kashmir.
FCIK has urged the Industries and Commerce Department to delink industrial incentives from Pollution Control consents, especially for units in notified industrial estates. The Chamber emphasized that linking incentives to PCC approvals and other NOCs has been a major deterrent, forcing many units to either forgo benefits or face prolonged delays and procedural hurdles, and stressed that delinking is now essential to ensure smooth industrial operations under the new law.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the amendments on Wednesday, introducing a slew of changes to provisions that were widely regarded by industry as harsh, cumbersome, and compliance-heavy. These provisions had added to procedural complexities and caused avoidable delays, adversely impacting both the timely implementation of projects and the smooth functioning of existing industrial units. The revised framework seeks to address these concerns by rationalizing compliance requirements, reducing regulatory bottlenecks, and ensuring greater operational certainty, while continuing to uphold essential environmental safeguards.
FCIK has stated that the amended framework, with its emphasis on trust-based governance, reduces timelines, and continuity of operations, addresses many of the long-standing concerns raised by the industry from time to time.
The decision, the Federation said, vindicates its consistent stand and sustained pursuance that several provisions of the earlier consent regime were in stark contradiction to the stated objective of “Ease of Doing Business,” particularly due to stringent and repetitive compliance requirements.
Under the revised guidelines, industrial units within organised industrial estates will be deemed to have obtained consent upon submitting an online application with self-certification—a reform expected to reduce entire procedural delays and uncertainty, particularly for Micro and Small Enterprises.
The Federation has warmly welcomed this provision, noting that these industrial estates are established by the Government only after securing the necessary clearances from the Pollution Control Board or Committee.
The Federation has also hailed the removal of the requirement for periodic renewals of Consent to Operate (CTO), noting that once granted, the consent will now remain valid indefinitely unless cancelled in the event of any violation.
FCIK observed that this measure would provide substantial relief to micro and tiny units—such as manufacturers of wooden fruit boxes, furniture manufacturers, cricket bat industry and a large number of small-scale enterprises—by reducing compliance burden, paperwork, and the uncertainty associated with frequent renewals.
FCIK further noted that the introduction of consolidated consent and authorisation, perpetual validity of Consent to Operate, reduced processing timelines, extension of consent fee validity from 5 to 25 years, a uniform definition of capital investment, and the option of third-party verification through registered environmental auditors will collectively and significantly ease the compliance burden on industries, while continuing to ensure robust environmental safeguards.
FCIK has urged its constituents and affiliated associations from all ten districts of Kashmir Valley to disseminate information about the changes in the law and guidelines to every unit holder to ensure wider awareness and effective implementation.