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The Indian government is ramping up efforts to address industrial pollution, as factories nationwide face stricter regulations aimed at safeguarding air, water, and soil quality. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs), is taking decisive steps to enforce environmental protection laws.

Industries in India are classified into categories based on their pollution potential: Red (high risk), Orange, Green, and White (low risk). This system helps tailor regulatory oversight, with Red and Orange categories undergoing more frequent inspections and compliance checks. Recent reports indicate that there are over 526,000 operational units in the Red, Orange, and Green categories, highlighting the scale of the challenge.

To combat environmental degradation, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has established specific emission and discharge standards for 79 types of industries. For industries not covered by these specific standards, general regulations apply. Factories must now use continuous monitoring systems to track and report their emissions and effluents in real time. These systems are designed to send automatic alerts if pollution levels exceed acceptable limits, prompting immediate corrective actions.