Government amends Uniform Consent Guidelines under Air and Water Acts to Streamline Approvals, Reduce Delays and Strengthen Environmental Compliance

India, Jan. 28 -- The Government of India has issued a release:

The Government 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 to further streamline the consent mechanism for industries across all States and Union territories. The move is aimed at reducing procedural delays and strengthening environmental governance. The Guidelines issued last year provide a uniform framework for granting, refusing or cancelling Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO). These guidelines ensure consistency, transparency and accountability in consent management across the country.

An important reform is the provision...