India, Jan. 28 -- The union environment ministry has amended the Uniform Consent Guidelines notified under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, allowing registered private environmental auditors to conduct industry visits and verify compliance with norms.

HT had reported on December 15 last year that India will soon have a cadre of private third party environmental auditors to ensure industries, processes, activities meet environmental norms, outsourcing a key responsibility of the state to cut delays and improve ease of doing business, although environmentalists are worried that this could end up giving industry a free rein.

Another major amendment relate...