Overview of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB)

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) was constituted on 7th September 1970. The board was established under the Maharashtra Prevention of Water Pollution Act,1969. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, central legislation in India for preserving the environment and resources, was adopted in the state.MPCB was constituted under the provisions of section 4 of the Water (P&CP) Act, 1974. However, the Air (P&CP) Act 1981 was adopted later in the state in1983. The board also functions as the state board under section 5 of this Act.

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board functions within the state government's administrative control of the Environment Department. The entire state has been declared an Air Pollution Control Area since 1996. MPCB is implementing various environmental legislations in Maharashtra. As the state has a rich ecological diversity, the board's role has become more important in recent years. MPCB had issued guidelines and restrictions in different heads like Coastal Regulation Zone andEco-Sensitive Zone (Mahableshwar Eco-Sensitive Zone, Murud Zanjira Area (Raigad), Antop Hill (Mumbai), Western Ghats, etc.). The board has also issued specific guidelines concerning poultry farms, brick kilns, etc. The MPCB manages authorisation and licences Environmental Quality(Air Pollution, Water Quality, Noise Pollution), Waste Management (Hazardous, Biomedical, Plastic, E-waste Management). The board enforces the following rules in Maharashtra.

• Water (P&CP) Act, 1974
• Air (P&CP) Act, 1981
• Water (Cess) Act, 1977
• Environmental (P) Act, 1986 and the rules framed under the act, like, Biomedical Waste (M&H) Rules, 1998, Hazardous Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2016, etc.

Functions of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB)

Some of the crucial functions of MPCB are:

• To plan programs to control, prevent or decrease pollution and safe executions.
• To collect and disseminate data relating to pollution and the prevention, control or abatement.
• Inspect sewage disposal facilities, trade effluent treatment and air pollution control devices.
• To review plans, specifications or any other data relating to the air pollution control systems, treatment plants, disposal systems and in connection with the consent granted.
• Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has to support and encourage the developments in pollution control, waste recycling, reuse, eco-friendly practices, etc.
• Educate and guide businesses in improving the environment by suggesting appropriate pollution control technologies and techniques.
• To create public awareness about a clean and healthy environment and attend to public complaints regarding pollution.

Licences and Authorisation provided by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

The MPCB exercises control to regulate and monitor businesses and industrial establishments. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board does so by issuing the following licences and authorisations depending on the unit's activities -

Application for Consent

The individual or business entity must obtain prior consent from the board under the Water and Air Acts, mainly to set up a business or factory. The board gives the consent required by an industrial facility in two stages mentioned below -

Consent to Establish (CTE): CTE is the first and primary level of consent required by the industry, operation or process from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. This is done by ensuring that the pollution control aspects applicable to the particular industry are followed.

Consent to Operate (CTO): This certificate is the final consent and allows the industry to discharge treated effluent and air emissions into the environment. Once the process plant or industry is established along with all pollution control systems, entrepreneurs must obtain CTOfor their unit. This certificate must be renewed regularly,and the entrepreneur must abide by the post-compliance issued by the MPCB during the whole validity.

The services offered by the board under Consent Section are -

• Consent No Objection Certificate (NOC)
• Intimation for the white category of industries
• Amendment for consent application

Authorisations and supporting services by the board

1. Hazardous Waste Management

• Hazardous Waste Authorisation under Form 1
• Hazardous waste Annual Return under Form 4
• Dangerous Waste Trader Registration under Form 7
• Hazardous Waste Accident Report under Form 11
• Hazardous Waste Filing Appeal(under Form 12)
• Manifest for Hazardous and Other Waste(Form 10)

2. Plastic Related Services

• Plastic registration as mandated by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board
• Annual report on Plastic Waste Management to be submitted to the local body (municipal council/municipal corporation/Nagar Panchayat) under Form V
• Annual report by the operator of Plastic Waste Processing or Recycling Facility under Form IV

3. Biomedical Waste (BMW) Application

• Biomedical Waste Authorisation (combined consent)
• BMW Annual Return

4. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Management

• MSW Authorisation
• MSW Annual Report
• E-waste application
• E-waste Authorisation under Form-1a
• E-waste Annual Return
• E-waste Authorisation for dismantlers and recyclers

5. Battery-Related Application

• Battery dealer registration
• Half-yearly form to file a return of sale of new batteries and collection of new batteries
• Form for filing annual return by recyclers of used batteries under Form-VII
• Filing of half yearly returns for bulk consumers under Form VIII
• Filing half yearly returns by the auctioneer of used batteries under Form IX
• Filling of returns of the sale of new batteries and collection of old batteries to be submitted by dealers under Form V

6. Environment Statement under Form V

7. Water Cess under Form I

8. Construction and Demolition Waste Management

• C&D Authorisation under Form I

9. Other Applications entertained by the MPCB

• Inclusion of by-products in CTO
• NOC for rejected/confiscated goods received at Custom/Police or any other department

Registration Process to avail facilities from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB)

From 2017 onwards, a one-time registration (which is chargeable)on the MAITRI portal has been made compulsory before applying for any service under Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). After registration, the credential sent to the registered number must be used for logging in on MAITRI. The Common Application Form (CAF) must be filled out upon successful logging. This is a one-time process and ensures that the applicant must choose the type of service they want from MPCB. The applicant gets automatically transferred to the registration portal after reaching the document submission page, where one must upload the relevant documents as per the services needed.

Industries Exempted from Consent Application

Specific industries are exempted from obtaining these consent NOC by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Such industriesdo not discharge any hazardous or toxic waste into the water stream, cause water pollution, and are thereby kept under the exempted category. An industry under the following criteria will be exempted from obtaining consent NOC.

• The industries in the "Demarcated Industries Estates" category.
• Not having more than Rs. 1 crore on plant and machinery.
• The industries do not have more than Rs. 2 crores on machinery for hosiery items.
• The industries do not discharge any air and noise pollution into the atmosphere.

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