More than 30 industries that have zero pollution load have been exempted from taking environmental clearance even as the Centre on Saturday released a new four-colour classification scheme for industries based on their pollution potential.

Under the new categorisation system, industries that pollute the most have been put in the red category, while the moderately polluting units are classified orange.

Industries that have a significantly low pollution load have been placed in the green category, while those that operate without causing any pollution have been categorised as white.

Terming it a “landmark” decision that gives a “fair picture” of the industries, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekarsaid the new system of re-categorisation is based on an elaborate scientific exercise.

The existing system was creating problems because it did not reflect the actual pollution caused by the various units.

The Environment Ministry said that 60 industries, including sugar, thermal power plants, paints and others, which have a pollution index score of 60 and above, will be in the red category while 83 industries like coal washeries and automobile servicing which have scores ranging between 41-59 will be in the orange category.

Similarly, industries like aluminium utensil manufacturing and dal and flour mills, which have a pollution index score of between 21 and 40, have been kept in the green category.

A further 36 industries like air coolers and cotton and woollen hosiery, which have a pollution index score of upto 20, have been kept in the white category.

"The new category of white industries, which are practically non-polluting, will not require Environmental Clearance (EC) and Consent. That will help them get funds from lending institutions. The re-categorisation exercise was carried out over the last one year. This is a landmark decision to give a fair picture of the industries.

"Re-categorisation of industries based on their pollution load is a scientific exercise. The old system of categorisation was creating problems for many industries and was not reflecting the level of pollution caused by these. The new categories will remove this lacuna," Javadekar said.

Javadekar said that 25 industrial sectors which were not critically polluting were earlier also categorised as red, giving a wrong perception.

The Environment Ministry has developed a criteria for categorising industrial sectors based on the Pollution Index, which takes into account emissions (air pollutants), effluents (water pollutants), hazardous waste and consumption of resources.

For this purpose, the references are taken from the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution ) Cess (Amendment) Act, 2003, standards so far prescribed for various pollutants under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Doon Valley Notification, 1989.

The Pollution Index (PI) rates industries on a scale of 0 to 100 with increasing PI value indicating higher pollution load.

The criteria for 'Range of Pollution Index' was finalised following a series of brain-storming sessions which were attended by officials of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), state boards and the ministry, according to a statement here.

Talking about the newly-introduced white category, the ministry said it pertains to the industrial sectors that are practically non-polluting.

"The purpose of the categorisation is to ensure that the industry is established in a manner which is consistent with environmental objectives. The new criteria will prompt industrial sectors to adopt cleaner technologies, ultimately resulting in the generation of fewer pollutants," it said.

Another feature of the new categorisation system is that it will facilitate self-assessment by industries.

"This re-categorisation is a part of the efforts, policies and objective of the present government to create a clean and transparent working environment in the country and promote the ease of doing business," it said.