#Consent to Operate

National Green Tribunal Southern Zone reinstated a jaggery unit's Consent to Operate after verifying compliance with Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act land-use norms and TNPCB environmental safeguards. The ruling underscores strict scrutiny of unauthorized industrial activity on agricultural land despite pending land classification.

Supreme Court rules that industries operating in good faith under Pollution Control Board consent (CTE/CTO) cannot be shut down merely for lacking prior Environmental Clearance (EC), provided they applied for EC in a timely manner. The judgment balances regulatory compliance with operational continuity for formaldehyde units in Rajasthan and Haryana.

The National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone) ruled that industrial continuity hinges on strict compliance with environmental clearance and lease renewal conditions. The court directed Andhra Paper Mill to implement its approved effluent disposal plan and urged the East Godavari Collector to decide on the expired lease for Turupulanka discharge lagoons, emphasizing that non-compliance risks operational shutdowns and ecological harm.

NGT Southern Zone rules that final closure orders under the Water and Air Acts override expired 'consent to operate' for industries violating environmental norms. The judgment reinforces that regulatory compliance cannot be bypassed by procedural lapses, setting a precedent for enforcement against industries operating on non-conforming land.

The National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone) ruled that a polluter’s isolated corrective action after effluent discharge does not exempt it from penalties if ongoing violations persist. The judgment underscores TNPCB’s duty to enforce continuous environmental compliance, not just post-facto remediation, impacting industries and pollution control boards across India.

National Green Tribunal holds that isolated stack emission spikes do not justify closure of industry; compliance with Consent to Operate and ambient standards prevails over speculative health claims.

National Green Tribunal mandates strict slurry utilization plans and consent regimes for granite units, establishing binding environmental compliance standards across India.

NGT holds that operating industries on nalla land without CTE/CTO violates environmental statutes. Consent under Water and Air Acts is non-negotiable, even for green-category units.