Environmental clearance for industries goes online in Delhi

NEW DELHI - Taking a further step towards e-governance, the Delhi government Friday made its environmental clearance process for industries online.

The online system for grant of consent to industries by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which becomes the first board in the country for providing such a facility, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Though the new process, the DPCC will not only grant consent to industries online, but also receive consent applications and fees online, besides processing files in this regard.

The industries require consent to establish, consent to operate and renewal of consent to operate on the environmental front under the provisions of Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974 and Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, besides Authorization under Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989.

Currently, the industries has to submit a detailed manual application form. According to a government official, it was observed that industrialists faced a lot of problems and many a time information given in application was either not complete or incorrect, resulting into further delays in the processing.

To overcome the problem, the DPCC has developed software for online application and submission of fees besides processing and grant of consent/authorisation.

The official said the payment gateway portal has been integrated with Axis Bank, enabling filling up of forms and payment at per convenience of the applicant and from any place through a credit card (Mastercard and VISA) online.

The facility is available by logging on to the committee’s website , he said.

This is also being integrated with the Jeevan Portal to provide the facility at the doorstep to those units who don’t have a computer and internet.