The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 20th July, 2022, has directed all the standalone re-rolling units or cold rolling units, which are in existence and in operation as on the date of this notification, with valid Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) from the concerned State Pollution Control Board or the Union territory Pollution Control Committee, as the case may be, shall apply online for grant of Terms of Reference (ToR) followed by Environment Clearance and the said units shall be granted Standard Terms of Reference and shall be exempted from the requirement of public consultation:
Provided that the application for the grant of ToR shall be made within a period of one year from the date of this notification.
The MoEFCC, keeping the decision of the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal vide its order, dated the 12th February 2020, in Original Application No. 55/2019 (WZ), has inter alia observed that Cold Rolled Stainless Steel Manufacturing Industries require prior environment clearance but, having regard to the fact that there were a large number of such mills operating on the strength of Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO).
And whereas, the Central Government, keeping in view the impact caused due to the Covid19 pandemic has taken a considered decision in line with the above said order of the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal, so as to provide a window period for such re-rolling or cold rolling units to obtain prior Environmental Clearance;
Therefore, the ministry has issued the above direction to all the standalone re-rolling units or cold rolling units to apply online for grant of Terms of Reference (ToR) within a period of 1 year.
