It has come to the notice of pollution control authorities that several Consent to Establish (CTE) applications are being filed for projects located outside designated industrial zones. In such cases, there is a risk of unauthorised or unregulated development without compliance to local building norms and land use regulations, potentially causing environmental issues.

The regulatory authority has introduced a key procedural change regarding the grant of Consent to Establish (CTE) for industrial units proposed outside designated industrial areas. It is now compulsory to verify valid building or development permission issued by the competent planning authority—such as the Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayat, Town Planning Department, or Collector—before granting CTE. A Local Body NOC will not be treated as a substitute for such planning authority permission. This measure ensures alignment with local development control regulations and prevents unauthorised constructions that could pose environmental risks.

Additionally, if any CTE has already been granted without such verification, the responsible officers must mandatorily verify the building/development permission at the time of granting Consent to Operate (CTO). The directive is to be implemented with immediate effect, and non-compliance will be considered seriously, possibly leading to disciplinary action.