The enterprises and industrial units working in Madhya Pradesh may require permission by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) prior to setting up or conducting business operations that could result in air, water, or other forms of pollution. The board has provided an online facility for consent management, environment clearance, waste consent, etc. Knowledge of the consent required, documents, procedure of application, and further compliance can be helpful to business organizations.

Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board

The Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board is the State body entrusted with the responsibility of enforcing pollution control rules in relation to activities that may have any adverse effect on the environment of Madhya Pradesh.

Some common areas of regulation are:

• Control of air pollution
• Control of water pollution
• Management of hazardous waste
• Management of biomedical waste
• Management of solid waste
• Plastic & E-Waste Management

Depending upon the type of establishment, different permissions/authorizations may be required. An online system for consent management is available on the MPPCB website. The relevant documents, fees, industry classification and other details can be found there.

Who requires MP Pollution Control Board approval?

Activities that might need consent or authorization could include:

• Industrial establishments or processing units
• Infrastructure and constructions where applicable
• Mining operations
• Hospitals or healthcare establishments
• Waste treatment and recycling centers
• Hazardous waste generating units
• Businesses having emissions or discharge of industrial effluent

The specific requirement would have to be determined based on the applicable category under MPPCB along with environmental regulations.

Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under MPPCB

Consent to Establish (CTE)

CTE is usually needed prior to establishing a project or industrial unit falling within the ambit of pollution control requirements. The application involves consideration of the project, its location, manufacturing processes, investment, raw materials, pollution control system, and proposed method of waste management.

Consent to Operate (CTO)

CTO is required after the establishment of the unit and after the required pollution control systems have been installed. The requirements for CTO application or renewal might involve compliance with the previous consent, pollution control systems installed, and other details of operation.

Thus, it should be clear that CTE and CTO cannot be used interchangeably.

Documents Required for MPPCB Registration

The type of documents differ depending on the service offered and industrial sector. The following are some of the documents required by MPPCB:

• Land allocation or occupation documents
• Industry layout plan
• Project report
• Making process and raw material information
• Proof of investment made/capital cost
• No objection certificates from local body/Gram Panchayat
• Environmental Clearance document, if applicable
• Orbiting photograph of the project location
• Effluent Treatment Plant or Sewage Treatment Plant details
• Air pollution control apparatus information
• Hazardous waste generation, if any
• Permission of source of water
• Past consent and compliance information for renewal application

For CTO/renewal, MPPCB may also need photographs and technical information of ETP/STP and air pollution control system, if any.

Steps for Online Application

The Board has put in place an Online Consent Management System (XGN).

A usual application procedure is as follows:

1. Creation of the relevant user online account.
2. Selection of the relevant consent/authorization service.
3. Submission of project, industry, production, investment, and environmental information.
4. Submission of the relevant supporting documents.
5. Submission of the application through the online system.
6. Payment of the applicable fee as assessed.
7. Answering any queries raised by the Board, if applicable.
8. Fulfillment of the relevant inspection/technical requirements, if applicable.
9. Tracking the application and consent decision through the prescribed system.

The applicants must make sure that the information provided in the application is consistent with the relevant documents and the project itself.

Fees and Charges by MPPCB

Depends on the service or investment, nature of industry or any other factor. For instance, the current fee schedule of MPPCB shows fee structures for CTE/CTO as per investment slabs, with a different structure for some mines, STP/WTP, and others related to waste management.

Since fee structure may change, it would be appropriate for the applicant to find out the applicable fees from the latest MPPCB fee schedule before paying.

Some Important Environmental Compliance Requirements

Getting MPPCB Pollution Control Board Certification or Consent is not the end of compliance. Businesses would have to maintain continuous compliance with the conditions stipulated in their consent and other applicable environmental regulations.

Some important aspects may be:

• Effective operation of ETP/STP or pollution control equipment
• Emission and effluent monitoring
• Management of hazardous and other kinds of waste as per the applicable regulations
• Environmental records
• Returns and reports
• Conditions of consent
• Renewal of consent before expiry of present one
• Application for new permissions while expanding or altering activity

Separate information available from MPPCB regarding hazardous waste, biomedical waste, solid waste, plastic waste, e-waste, batteries, and many other important areas of compliance.

Mistakes to Be Avoided

The mistakes, which need to be avoided, are:

• Incorrect application category
• Conflicting figures regarding investments and productions
• Incomplete technical document application
• Not answering queries of the Board
• Conducting regulated activities without receiving appropriate consent/authorization
• Not maintaining pollution control equipment properly
• Failure to fulfill the deadlines for renewals
• Considering environmental approval as a one-time process

Conclusion

Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board has authority over the activities that have an impact on the air, water, and environment. The applicants should determine the consent/authorization, submit the proper technical documents, make the online applications, and also maintain compliance after getting the applications approved.

All the amendments in the requirement, if any, will be published on the official website of MPPCB.

Common Queries

1. What is MPPCB?

MPPCB stands for Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board that implements the concerned pollution control & environmental legislation in the state.

2. What does CTE mean?

CTE stands for Consent to Establish and is related to establishment of the concerned project/industrial unit before the conduct of the regulated activity.

3. What does CTO mean?

CTO stands for Consent to Operate and is related to operating by the concerned eligible unit.

4. Can MPPCB applications be filed online?

Yes. MPPCB maintains an online consent management portal for relevant services.

5. What are the documents needed?

It differs from case to case, but the documents can include project details, land papers, layout plan, investment proof, pollution control equipment details and environmental clearances.

6. Is MPPCB clearance renewable?

Yes. If the concerned consent/authorization has a fixed tenure, then it needs to be renewed.