FCIK welcomes amendment of Uniform Consent Guidelines, seeks swift implementation in J&K
Srinagar, Jan 29: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has welcomed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEF), Government of India, decision to amend the Uniform Consent Guidelines under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, describing the move as a long-awaited reform to streamline industrial approvals and ease compliance burdens.
In a statement issued here, FCIK said the amended guidelines would help reduce procedural delays, bring regulatory clarity, and significantly improve the ease of doing business, while maintaining essential environmental safeguards.
The Federation has appealed to Jammu and Kashmir’s Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Javid Ahmad Rana, to ensure swift and effective implementation of the revised framework in the Union Territory. It said timely enforcement would help restore investor confidence and support sustainable industrial growth across J&K.
FCIK also urged the Industries and Commerce Department to delink industrial incentives from Pollution Control consents, particularly for units located in notified industrial estates. It said the practice of linking incentives with Pollution Control Certificates (PCCs) and other No Objection Certificates had emerged as a major deterrent, forcing several units to either forgo benefits or face prolonged procedural delays.
The Ministry announced the amendments on Wednesday, introducing changes to provisions that industry bodies had long termed cumbersome and compliance-heavy. According to FCIK, these provisions had adversely impacted project timelines and disrupted the functioning of existing units. The revised framework seeks to rationalise compliance requirements, reduce regulatory bottlenecks and ensure operational continuity.
The Federation said the amendments vindicate its consistent stand that several aspects of the earlier consent regime were contrary to the objective of “Ease of Doing Business”, owing to repetitive and stringent compliance requirements.
Under the revised guidelines, industrial units located within organised industrial estates will be deemed to have obtained consent upon submission of an online application with self-certification. FCIK said this reform would substantially reduce delays and uncertainty, especially for micro and small enterprises, noting that such estates are established only after obtaining the requisite clearances from the Pollution Control authorities.
The Federation also welcomed the removal of the requirement for periodic renewal of the Consent to Operate (CTO). It noted that once granted, a CTO will now remain valid indefinitely unless cancelled due to violations. This, FCIK said, would provide major relief to micro and tiny units, including wooden fruit box manufacturers, furniture makers, cricket bat units and other small-scale enterprises.
FCIK further highlighted that provisions such as consolidated consent and authorisation, extended validity of consent fees from five to twenty-five years, a uniform definition of capital investment, reduced processing timelines and the option of third-party verification through registered environmental auditors would collectively ease compliance while upholding environmental protection.
The Federation has urged its member associations across all ten districts of the Kashmir Valley to widely disseminate information about the amended guidelines to ensure that every industrial unit is fully aware of the changes.
