Latest News | Punjab CM Announces VDS for All Small-scale Industries to Get Consent from Pollution Control Board

Chandigarh, Oct 11 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) for getting "consent" of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for all small-scale industries, institutes and other establishments having capital investment of less than Rs 10 crore.

The chief minister, while chairing a meeting with a delegation of industrialists from Ludhiana, said under the provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, all the industries are required to obtain consent from PPCB.

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However, he said there are certain industries which have never obtained consent to operate from the Board and are required to pay consent fees since 1992 or from the date of commissioning, whichever is later.

According to an official statement, Mann said to promote industrial growth in the state and bring the industries under the ambit of environment compliances, the Punjab government has decided to have the VDS scheme for all small-scale industries or institutes/other establishments having capital investment of less than Rs 10 crore.

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He said these industries must be operating in designated areas or should have never obtained consent to operate from the Board or should have never availed consent fee under the earlier voluntary disclosure schemes of PPCB.

The last date for filing online applications by the industries under this scheme is March 31, 2023.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)