Environmental Clearance Procedure

env Industrialization is an essential prerequisite for rapid and sustained economic development and social progress. But it fetches environmental degradation like air, water and soil pollution. So, environmental management is necessary to decrease such environmental pollution and degradation. The Government of Bangladesh provides importance to protect environment and natural resources. It is mandatory to obtain Environmental Clearance for each and every type of industry and project as per Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended 2010).

For the purpose of issuance of Environmental Clearance Certificate, the industrial units and projects shall, in consideration of their site and impact on the environment, be classified into the four categories

(i) Green

(ii) Orange-A

(iii) Orange-B

(iv) Red.

Environmental Clearance for Green category industries and projects is provided through comparatively simple procedure. In case of Orange-A, Orange-B and Red Category industries and projects, Site Clearance is mandatory at the beginning, then EIA approval and finally Environmental Clearance is issued.

The Environment Clearance is to be renewed after three (03) years for Green category and one (01) year for Orange-A, Orange-B and Red category industries respectively. Environmental Clearance Certificate’s shall be issued to all existing industrial units and projects and to all proposed industrial units and projects falling in the Green Category. For industrial units and projects falling in the Orange-A, Orange-B, first a Site Clearance Certificate and thereafter an Environmental Clearance Certificate shall be issued. In case of Red category industries, firstly a Location Clearance Certificate, then Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) approval and thereafter an Environmental Clearance Certificate shall be issued.

Documents Required for Different Categories of Industrial Units or Projects:

Green

  1. Application through prescribed form-3 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997
  2. Prescribed fees under schedule-13 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997 (Amended 2002)
  3. General information about the industrial unit or project;
  4. Exact description of the raw materials and the manufactured product; and
  5. No objection certificate (Prescribed Form) from the local authority;

Orange-A

  1. Application through prescribed form-3 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997
  2. Prescribed fees under schedule-13 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997 (Amended 2002)
  3. General information about the industrial unit or project;
  4. Exact description of the raw materials and the manufactured product;
  5. No objection certificate (Prescribed Form) from the local authority;
  6. Process flow diagram;
  7. Layout Plan (showing location of Effluent Treatment Plant);
  8. Effluent discharge arrangement;
  9. Outlines of the plan for relocation, rehabilitation (if applicable);
  10. Other necessary information (if applicable);

Orange-B

  1. Application through prescribed form-3 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997
  2. Prescribed fees under schedule-13 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997 (Amended 2002)
  3. Report on the feasibility of the industrial unit or project (applicable only for proposed industrial unit or project);
  4. Report on the Initial Environmental Examination of the industrial unit or project, and also the process flow diagram, Layout Plan (showing location of Effluent Treatment Plant), design of the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) of the unit or project (these are applicable only for a proposed industrial unit or project);
  5. Report on the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the industrial unit or project, and also the Process Flow Diagram, Layout Plan (showing location of Effluent Treatment Plant), design of the Effluent Treatment Plant and information about the effectiveness of the ETP of the unit or project, (these are applicable only for an existing industrial unit or project);
  6. No objection certificate (Prescribed Form) from the local authority;
  7. Emergency plan relating adverse environmental impact and plan for mitigation of the effect of pollution;
  8. Outline of the relocation, rehabilitation plan (where applicable);
  9. Other necessary information (where applicable).

Red

  1. Application through prescribed form-3 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997
  2. Prescribed fees under schedule-13 under Environment Conservation Rules 1997 (Amended 2002)
  3. Report on the feasibility of the industrial unit or project (applicable only for proposed industrial unit or project);
  4. Report on the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) relating to the industrial unit or project, and also the terms of reference (ToR) for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the unit or the project and its Process Flow Diagram; or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared on the basis of terms of reference previously approved by the Department of Environment, along with the Layout Plan (showing location of Effluent Treatment Plant), Process Flow Diagram, design and time schedule of the Effluent Treatment Plant of the unit or project, (these are applicable only for a proposed industrial unit or project);
  5. Report on the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the industrial unit or project, and also the Process Flow Diagram, Layout Plan (showing location of Effluent Treatment Plant), design and information about the effectiveness of the Effluent Treatment Plan of the unit or project (these are applicable only for an existing industrial unit or project);
  6. No objection certificate (Prescribed Form) of the local authority:
  7. Emergency plan relating adverse environmental impact and plan for mitigation of the effect of pollution;
  8. Outline of relocation, rehabilitation plan (where applicable);
  9. Other necessary information (where applicable);

General Process Steps for Environmental Clearance:

Step 1 : Submit application with supporting documents.

Step 2 : Verification of application and supporting documents by DOE

Step 3 : Inspection by the authorized officer after verification of all report and documents. [Then make decision about the clearance (Only Green and Orange-A)]

Step 4 : Meeting of Environmental Clearance Committee (for Orange-B and Red Category)

Step 5 : Decision

Renewal Process:

The period of validity of an Environmental Clearance Certificate shall be, in case of Green Category, 3 years from the date of its issuance and in all other cases 1 year. Each Environmental Clearance Certificate has to be applied for renewal at least thirty (30) days before expiry.

Written on January 20, 2020