In order to rationalize the green belt requirement based on pollution potential, the Ministry in its OM dated 29.10.2025 has directed that the revised criteria for developing green belt/green cover for Industrial Estates/Parks and individual industries may be adhered to in supersession of the OM dated 27^th October, 2020.

• The revised criteria, inter-alia, mandates that in Industrial Estates a minimum of 10% of the area of the industrial estate shall be designated as common green area and red category and orange category Industrial units within the Estate shall develop 15% and 10% of the area of their premises as green belt/green cover respectively.
• Further, for individual industrial units outside the Industrial Estates, red and orange category industries are required to develop 25% and 20% green belt/green cover in their respective premises which may be reduced by 5% each if they are not predominantly air polluting industries.
• With regard to green and white industries it has been directed that development of green belt/green cover is optional with no mandatory requirement, except for green category industries with air pollution score ≥25, in which case such industries shall develop 10% green belt/green cover within their respective premises.

There was a need to strike a balance between the requirement of land for the Projects/Activities and the environmental needs of the green belt along with the existing pollution control and abatement measures prescribed under the general and specific conditions forming part of the prior Environmental Clearance issued in accordance with the provisions of EIA Notification 2006 as amended, so as to optimize the use of available land.

Therefore, it was decided to rationalize the green belt requirement based on pollution potential. The rationalization of green belt/green cover was done based on the recommendations of a Committee, which was, inter alia, based on examining various International norms for developing green belt/green cover.    

The rationale for the revised green belt/green cover norms is that industries with higher pollution potential such as red category industries and orange category industries need to develop more percentage of green belt in order to mitigate the pollution that emerges from the industrial activity. The revised criteria has been developed based on scientific examination by an expert committee and factors pollution potential while prescribing green belt/green cover requirement.

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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VM/SK

(Rajya Sabha US Q531)

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