Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 4: Industries, healthcare facilities, local bodies and other regulated entities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will now be able to seek faster processing of environmental operating permissions after the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC) announced a revised mechanism for online applications under the Unified Consent Management and Monitoring System (UCAMS). The move is aimed at streamlining the regulatory process while ensuring compliance with environmental protection laws.
The ANPCC has informed all industries, establishments, institutions, healthcare facilities, veterinary healthcare facilities, local bodies, infrastructure projects and other stakeholders under its jurisdiction that applications for Consent to Operate (CTO) can be submitted online through the UCAMS portal.
The revised procedure follows a decision taken during the 39th meeting of the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee. Under the new framework, applications for Consent to Operate will be considered and processed irrespective of the status of Consent to Establish (CTE), wherever applicable, provided applicants comply with the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and other applicable environmental laws, rules and guidelines.
The decision is expected to simplify the regulatory process for applicants while ensuring that statutory environmental safeguards continue to be observed. By allowing processing of CTO applications independent of the CTE status, the revised mechanism seeks to reduce procedural hurdles without altering the requirement for compliance with environmental legislation.
The Pollution Control Committee has advised all industries and other stakeholders operating without a valid Consent to Operate to submit their applications at the earliest through the UCAMS online portal. Applicants have also been asked to upload all required information and supporting documents along with their online applications to facilitate timely processing.
The online application system is intended to improve the efficiency of environmental regulatory services by providing a single digital platform for submission and processing of applications. The initiative also supports greater transparency and ease of compliance for regulated entities across the Union Territory.
For clarification or technical assistance related to the online application process, applicants have been advised to contact the office of the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee, Department of Science and Technology, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, during office hours. The revised procedure applies to all eligible stakeholders falling under the jurisdiction of the ANPCC.
