Competent State Authority

As per the Press Note 17 (1984 series) of the Government of India, 20 categories of highly polluting industries in Large-Medium sector are required to obtain clearance of site from Environmental Angle for conversion of their letter of Intent into Industrial Licence.  For this purpose, the Government of Punjab has constituted a Competent State Authority (CSA) with the Principal Secretary to Govt. of Punjab, Department of Science, Technology & Environment, and Non-Conventional Energy as its Chairman and the Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board as its Member Secretary.  The industry is also required to obtain site clearance under the Factories Act.  For considering the applications of the entrepreneurs under this Act, the State Govt. had substituted a Site Appraisal Committee (SAC). The members of CSA and SAC were almost same.

As such, the State Govt., to eliminate duplicity and provide the hassle free environment, vide its Notification No.5/16/95-STE (4)/2381 dated 17.11.1998 merged both the Committees and formed a single Committee namely CSA-cum-SAC.  Now the cases of environmental clearances as per Press Note No. 17 (1984 series) and the cases of site clearance under the Factories Act are decided by this Committee.

Meetings of this Committee are conducted at regular intervals.  The comments of various member departments are obtained regarding the suitability of the proposed site and the pollution control measures proposed by the industry.

In addition to the above, this Cell also handles the work of conducting the public hearings for the specified projects included in the EIA Notification dated 27.1.1994 of Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests.  This public hearing is pre-requisite for the grant of environmental clearance by the Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests under the EIA notification.