The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has the for common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), expediting their establishment across industrial clusters while retaining strict environmental oversight. The reform seeks to strengthen industrial pollution control infrastructure and address delays in setting up CETPs.
The CETPs are now exempt from obtaining prior environmental clearance, will apply only going forward and must strictly comply with existing safeguards.
State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, will still regulate CETPs. Requirements such as consent to establish, consent to operate, periodic inspections, statutory reporting, and continuous online monitoring will remain in force.
The notified amendment introduces strengthened operational safeguards whereby industrial wastewater must be sent to CETPs exclusively through closed pipeline systems.
Use of treated effluent for agricultural purposes has been prohibited. The CETPs must maintain continuous online monitoring systems with real-time data connected to both the Central and State Pollution Control Board servers, ensuring traceability of effluent and enabling round-the-clock regulatory oversight.
The CETPs also continue to be classified by the Central Pollution Control Board as “essential environmental services” under the blue category of industries, recognising their role as pollution mitigation facilities rather than pollution sources. The decision follows expert committee reviews and a 60-day public consultation process.
The revised framework is expected to facilitate faster creation of CETPs, expand treatment capacity in industrial clusters, improve compliance and enhance overall environmental performance while maintaining robust regulatory control.
