Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), was established on 27.2.1982. It functions with Head Office at Chennai, 7 Zonal offices and 38 District offices. The Board office is headed by the Chairman, Zonal offices are headed by the Joint Chief Environmental Engineers, and the 38 District offices are headed by District Environmental Engineers. Two flying squads are also functioning at Erode and Tiruppur which are headed by the Environmental Engineers.
- To assist in the Analytical and Scientific side, the Board has established 8 Advanced Environmental Laboratories, 8 District Environmental Laboratories.
- TNPCB is implementing the Pollution Control Legislations and Rules and Notifications framed therein. In discharging the duties entrusted to it, the Board investigates, collects and disseminates data relating to water, air and land pollution, lays down standards for sewage/trade effluent and emissions.
- TNPCB issues consent to new industries in two stages, one is Consent to Establish and other is Consent to Operate.
- Consent to Establish is issued depending upon the suitability of the site before the industry takes up the construction activities and Consent to Operate is issued after installation of pollution control measures by the unit to satisfy the standards.
Objectives of TNPCB
- Sustainable Development: - Sustainable development is a wide concept that balances the need for economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
- Prevention: - To control the prevention of natural resources.
- Waste Management: - Effective Waste Management is a great source to protect the environment.
- Consumer awareness: - Pollution can be reduced by awareness such as by convincing general public to use CFL, paper bags, public transport and not to use firecrackers, plastic bags or any other non-biodegradable products.
- Compliance: - TNPCB laid down some guidelines for industries and Health care establishments to reduce environmental pollution in Uttar Pradesh.
Main Functions of the TNPCB
- Provide recommendation to the Tamil Nadu Government on any matter concerning prevention and control of water and air pollution and improvement of the quality of air.
- Organize the consumer awareness programs on the prevention and control of air and water pollution and waste management through mass media.
- Collect, compile and prepare technical and statistical data related to air and water pollution.
- Lay down the standard of sewage and trade effluents and for emission from industrial plant, automobiles and Health Care Establishment.
- To help on the development of new technology for treatment of sewage, trade effluents and control equipment.
- Issuance of consent certificate to industries falling in different categories such as Red, Orange, Green and White.
- Issuance of the Authorization to industries and health care establishments, falling in Bio-Medical waste Authorization, Hazardous waste Management Authorization, Plastic Waste Management, Battery waste Management, and E-waste Authorization.
TNPCB Categories & Classification of Business Activities
The industries in Tamil Nadu has been classified in Red, Orange, and Green category as per the list, indicating the classification of 649 industries as per new guidelines.
The industries categorized under Red, Orange and Green category only need to apply for Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under the Air & Water Act. The industries categorized under white category are not required to obtain Consent to establish and operate, it is required only to intimate Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) within 30 days from Establishment of business with an undertaking.