Chandigarh, Oct 12 (KNN) Punjab government on Tuesday announced a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) to get consent of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for all the small scale industries or other establishments having capital investment of less than Rs 10 crore.

While chairing a meeting with a delegation of industrialists from Ludhiana, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that said that under the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, all the industries are required to obtain consent to establish/operate from PPCB.

However, there are certain industries which have never obtained consent to operate from the PPCB and are required to pay consent fees since 1992 or from the date of commissioning, whichever was later.

The chief minister further highlighted that that to promote industrial growth and to bring the industries under the ambit of environmental compliances, the government has decided to extend VDS for all small-scale industries or institutes.

Under this scheme, the industries or institutes/other establishments will not have to pay any fee from the year 1992 to October 31, 2018, except a one-time notional fee of Rs 5000.Such industries will have to deposit consent fees only after November 1, 2018.

He further highlighted that the last date for filing online applications by the industries under this scheme will be till March 31, 2023.

Mann also assured the industrialists to resolve all their pending issues regarding focal points, power supply, CLU, speeding up work on exhibition centre in Ludhiana, solid waste management, research and development, skill development and youth employment and others.  (KNN Bureau)