By | Sachin Dhumal
Pune: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a circular on 25 July 2025, making it mandatory for local self-government bodies or competent authorities to verify valid construction and development permissions while granting ‘Consent to Establish’ for businesses set up outside designated industrial areas.
According to the circular, a simple “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) from the local body will no longer be sufficient. In cases where such verification was not done earlier, the requirement will now be enforced at the stage of ‘Consent to Operate’ applications. The decision is expected to impact not only large industries but also small businesses, hotels, hospitals, and other establishments operating outside industrial estates.
The Industrial Federation of Maharashtra (IFM) has strongly opposed the directive and submitted a memorandum to the MPCB. The federation argued that verifying building and development permissions falls under the jurisdiction of the Town Planning Department, District Collectors, or local bodies, while the MPCB’s role should remain limited to environmental assessment.
According to IFM, the move introduces a double permission process, undermines the state’s “Ease of Doing Business” policy, and could unjustly deny operational consent to industries that have already secured establishment approvals. The federation claimed that several projects have already stalled due to the directive, causing serious financial losses to industries and threatening the livelihoods of thousands of workers.
The IFM has demanded immediate withdrawal of the circular, clearance of pending applications, and assurance that such conditions outside MPCB’s jurisdiction will not be imposed in the future. Failing this, the federation has warned of pursuing legal action.
