SPCB: Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO)

In India, industries and projects that impact the environment must obtain two primary clearances from their respective State Pollution Control Board (SPCB): Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO). These are mandatory under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981

Industry Categorisation

SPCBs classify industries into four color-coded categories based on their Pollution Index (PI):

• Red Category: High pollution potential (e.g., thermal power plants, large chemical units).

• Orange Category: Moderate pollution potential (e.g., food processing, pharmaceuticals).

• Green Category: Low pollution potential (e.g., small-scale manufacturing). Some states allow auto-renewal for this category.

• White Category: Practically non-polluting; usually exempt from consent but may require simple registration