Shimla/New Delhi, Jan. 28 -- The union Government has amended the Uniform Consent Guidelines under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, introducing a nationwide reform in environmental clearances while placing renewed emphasis on monitoring and compliance in ecologically sensitive regions, including Himalayan and hill states such as Himachal Pradesh.
The revised framework, applicable across all States and union Territories, seeks to streamline approval processes through consolidated consents and authorisations, even as it strengthens post-clearance scrutiny by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), Pollution Control Committees (PCCs), and the union Ministry ...