Overview of Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB)

The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) is a nodal environment protection agency. The board is an indispensable part of the administrative department of the Himachal Pradesh State Government. The HPSPCB does the planning, promotion, coordination and overseeing of the implementation of environmental programmes in the state.

The main functions of the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board include supervising air and water quality, noise monitoring and waste management (bio-medical waste, plastic waste, hazardous waste, e-waste, construction and demolition waste, etc.)by providing a consent certificate. Also known as Pollution NOC, the certificate permits organisations to discharge industrial waste into the environment in a regulated manner. HPSPCB also performs various environment-related risk mitigation roles to regulate upcoming development projects by the state too. The board also serves as an advisory body for the Himachal Pradesh State Government. The HPSPCB advises the state government regarding measures to prevent, control and reduce pollution. Under the regulatory function, the board has also been bestowed with the power of implementing different acts and rules on Environment Pollution Control. HPSPCB enforces the following Acts and Rules in Himachal -

• Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1974
• Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1981
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
• Hazardous & Other Wastes(Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016
• Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
• E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016
• Construction & Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016
• The Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000
• Batteries (Management & Handling) Amendment Rules, 2000
• Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006

Functions of Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB)

HPSPCB has adopted all the national standards the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These rules are stipulated for discharging or emitting pollutants from industries, operations and processes. Apart from the Pollution Under Control (PUC)Certificate, the board also provides authorisation for collection, storage, recycling and disposal of particular waste such as biomedical, hazardous, e-waste, etc. 

Categorisation of Industrial Units as per Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board

• Fabrication
• Industries
• Quarrying
• Stone crusher
• Garage
• Tours and travel
• Scrap
• DG set
• Batching plant
• Hotel
• Hazardous waste
• Hot mix plant/ Wet mix plant
• Petrol pump
•  

Licenses and authorisation issued by Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB)

The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) awards the following licences and permits to industrial establishments -

Consent No Objection Certificate

The HPSPCB provides Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) in successive stages of an upcoming business. CTE must be obtained before the construction and asset procurement are done. However, CTO must be obtained before the initiation of operation of the facility. Also, CTO must be applied at least one month before the proposed date for starting the operation. Documents needed in this regard are -

Documents required for CTE

• Land ownership documents (rent agreement, land deed, receipt porcha, lease document, etc.)
• Gross Capital Investment Certificate as a self-certified undertaking
• Site or layout plan with a road map (self-certified)
• Detailed project report with details of effluent, emission, solid waste management plan, finished products, manufacturing process, raw materials, list of machinery, etc.

Documents required by Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board for CTO

• Land-related documents like a rent agreement, receipt, land deed,etc.
• Gross Capital Investment Certificate in self-certified undertaking
• Self-certified site plan/layout with road map/route map
• Detailed Project Report
• Consent to Establish or copy in case of new Consent to Operate applications
• Test reports for effluent and emissions done within the last year

Waste Management Authorisation

Solid Waste Management Authorisation: The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board gives authorisation for managing waste regulated under the Environment Protection Act and the Air and Water Acts.

Plastic Waste Management Authorisation: The board is responsible for providing authorisation related to plastic waste management to PIBOs and plastic waste processors.

EPR Authorisation: Under the E-waste Management Rules and the Battery Waste Management Rule, 2022 and the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, the producers, importers and brand owners (PIBOs) of the product who sell their products on a pan-India basis are required to obtain EPR authorisation from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Authorisation: Management of Construction and Demolition Waste is regulated by C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016. Every C&D waste processing facility in the state must obtain permission from the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board and submit the annual report.

Hazardous Waste Management Authorisation: HPSPCB issuesan authorisation to entities engaged in the generation, collection, storage, transportation, treatment, use/processing or disposal of hazardous wastes in the state. Documents required for this authorisation are -

• Consent to Establish
• Consent to Operate
• GST certificate and PAN
• Rent, lease, or any other proof of ownership
• Factory or Trade license
• Memorandum of Association (MOA)
• Article of Association (AOA)
• Certificate of incorporation in case of company or LLP
• Layout plan
• Aadhaar card copy and PAN card copy of the applicant

Electricity bill

Consent Fee charged by HPSPCB

A fixed fee has to be paid based on the gross fixed capital investment of the unit without including the depreciation factor. The gross capital investment must include the cost of land, building, plant and machinery without depreciation. Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) has fixed the fee for industrial units based on capital investment. However, for particular projects and industries, different criteria have been implemented.

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