The Environment Ministry revises guidelines, lowering mandatory greenbelt area from 33 per cent to 10 per cent to ease industrial expansion while retaining basic ecological safeguards

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reduced the mandatory greenbelt requirement for new industrial estates from 33 per cent to 10 per cent, citing the need to balance industrial growth with environmental safeguards, as per media reports.

Under the revised guidelines issued on October 29, a minimum of 10 per cent of the total area of an industrial estate must now be set aside as a common green zone with dense plantation of at least 2,500 trees per hectare. The responsibility for developing and maintaining this area will rest with the estate’s developer or owner.

The earlier guideline, issued in October 2020, had mandated an overall green cover of at least one-third of the total area for industrial estates, parks, Special Economic Zones, and similar projects. Individual industrial units were allowed to contribute to this target through on-site greening, but the collective goal of 33 per cent remained unchanged.

In addition to the new overall requirement, the Ministry has instructed that individual industries within estates maintain greenbelts covering at least 15 per cent of their premises for red-category industries and 10 per cent for orange-category ones. The green zones are to be located as close as possible to pollution sources to act as buffers.

The Central Pollution Control Board defines a greenbelt as a reserved area within, or around industrial facilities intended for plantation and landscaping to mitigate air and noise pollution, prevent soil erosion, and serve as a natural barrier for nearby populations.

The revision comes amid growing concern over industrial emissions. A recent study by the environment think tank iFOREST found that boilers in Indian factories release around 182 million tonne of carbon dioxide annually, accounting for about seven per cent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The report urged the government to launch a “Green Boiler Mission” to promote cleaner technologies and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.