It was launched in 2009 with the aim of categorizing critically polluted industrial areas based on scientific criteria, so as to ascertain various dimensions of pollution.
It is a combined framework used to evaluate the impacts caused by industrial clusters on the nearby environment, as a numerical value.
It was developed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with IIT Delhi. It was revised in 2016 by abolishing few subjective factorials. The evaluated CEPI score reflects the environmental quality of the identified industrial clusters and is a yardstick to assess the progress achieved in the implementation of pollution mitigation measures.
The industries are categorized as-
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above – Red category
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 41 to 59 – Orange category
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 21 to 40– Green category
Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score incl. & up to 20 – White category
The purpose of the categorization is to ensure that the industry is established in a manner which is consistent with the environmental objectives. The new criteria will prompt industrial sectors willing to adopt cleaner technologies, ultimately resulting in generation of fewer pollutants.
As of Jan. 2020, over 100 polluted industrial clusters are being monitored based on the index score.
Issues and Suggestions
The biggest issue is the lack of penal power with the CPCB, the revision of formula won’t help unless penalizing power is bestowed upon CPCB.
In 2010, CPCB put a blanket ban on expansion and new industrial setups in all the 43 Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs). But within a year, the ban was lifted because of pressure from industry lobbies. Hence political interventions be minimized and more autonomy be bestowed on CPCB.
