Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has announced a new category for various industrial sectors. In addition to already existing Red, Orange, Green categories, ‘White’ set of industries (practically non-polluting) has too been included in the list. Companies falling in the category will not require environmental clearance and consent from the Pollution Control Board.
Tirupur’s garment industry is content with this new cataloguing as cotton hosieries (knitting) has also been included under the White category of industries, only an intimation to concerned State Pollution Control Board shall be enough for such units. But simultaneously there are demands to add women garment and synthetic hosieries in the same category.
P.K.M. Thurai, Managing Partner, Amaravathi Garments Manufacturing Company, Chennai told Apparel Resources, “Woven garments manufacturers are not listed in this category. We request the authorities to take necessary actions to include woven garments under the new set.” Not only woven garment manufacturers, even synthetic hosiery manufacturers are asking for the same. “We have approached the concerned department to add synthetic hosieries under the White category; however I feel that there are less chances for it being included. As use of polyester or synthetic is increasing, its addition in White list will benefit the industry,” said S. Sakthivel, Executive Secretary, Tirupur Exporters’ Association (TEA).
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The categorization, which is relevant to textile industry covers – Red (based on pollution index score of 60 and above) – yarn/textile processing; Orange (pollution Index score of 41 to 59) includes large cotton, spinning and weaving; Green (pollution index score of 21 to 40) covers powerlooms without dye and bleaching processes, small cotton spinning and weaving units; and newly introduced White (pollution index score upto 20) category includes a gamut of cotton and woolen hosieries, handloom/carpet weaving facilities, and solar power units producing energy through solar photovoltaic cell, wind power and mini hydel power (less than 25 MW).
MoEFCC has developed the criteria of categorization of industrial sectors based on the Pollution Index which is a function of the emissions (air pollutants), effluents (water pollutants), hazardous wastes generated and consumption of resources.
