Sri Vijaya Puram, June 10: Industries, entrepreneurs and project proponents in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will now have to seek environmental clearances and pollution-related approvals through a single online platform following the launch of the Unified Consent and Authorisation Management System (UCAMS) portal in the Union Territory.
The portal, developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), was officially launched for the islands on June 5 by the Member Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC)-cum-Director (Science & Technology). Authorities said the move is aimed at streamlining the process of granting environmental consents and authorisations while enhancing transparency and efficiency.
The launch follows two notifications issued earlier this year by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Through Gazette Notifications G.S.R. 85(E) dated January 30, 2025, and G.S.R. 84(E) dated January 29, 2025, the Ministry introduced new guidelines governing the grant, refusal and cancellation of consents under water and air pollution control laws.
The notifications directed the CPCB, in consultation with State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees, to create a unified digital system for processing applications. The UCAMS portal has been developed as a result of that directive.
Officials said the portal will serve as a common platform for obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE), Consent to Operate (CTO) and various environmental authorisations required under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and rules framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The transition to a unified digital system is expected to reduce paperwork, improve tracking of applications and facilitate faster decision-making. Applicants will be able to submit documents, monitor application status and receive approvals online, eliminating the need for multiple physical submissions.
Environmental regulators across the country have increasingly moved toward digital governance in recent years, seeking to simplify compliance requirements while ensuring better monitoring of industrial activities. The UCAMS platform is part of a broader national effort to standardise environmental approval processes and create a common interface for industries and regulatory authorities.
The ANPCC has informed all stakeholders that applications for fresh approvals as well as renewals must now be submitted exclusively through the online portal. This includes industrial units, commercial establishments, infrastructure projects and other entities requiring environmental consents or authorisations.
Authorities have urged concerned stakeholders to complete their registration on the portal and use the platform for all future applications. Timely registration and submission of documents, officials said, will help ensure uninterrupted processing of environmental approvals.
The launch is expected to benefit both regulators and applicants by bringing greater transparency to the approval process while strengthening environmental compliance mechanisms in the islands.
