Lok Sabha Question No. 3541 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Violation of Environmental Norms
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Laxmikant Pappu Nishad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3541

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025

## Violation of Environmental Norms

## 3541.   SHRI LAXMIKANT PAPPU NISHAD:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  petrol  pumps  inspected  by  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB) and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) along with the number of petrol pumps found violating the norms;
- (b) whether any independent or Government audit of environmental compliance of retail outlets (petrol pumps) set up by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) has been conducted during the last five years;
- (c)  whether the Government is implementing any policy to place the audit report of all petrol pumps in public domain; and
- (d) the number of retail outlets set up without environmental clearance or in violation of rules during the last five years along with the action taken against them in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

## (a) to (d):

As  informed  by  Ministry  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas,  the  Retail  Outlets  (ROs)  of  Oil Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  are  set-up  after  getting  No  Objection  Certificate  (NOC)  from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police, as per the location of the proposed RO. The NOC is issued by District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police after getting clearance as applicable from various Departments detailed below:

- (i) comments from the Revenue Department on the issue, regarding the possession of the site by the applicant is lawful and there is an authorisation from the land owner or leaseholder for developing premises under these rules for storage of petroleum products;.
- (ii) comments from the Police Department regarding traffic density and impact on traffic;
- (iii) comments from the concerned Municipal Corporation or Gram Panchayat or local area development  authority  as  applicable,  regarding  the  conformity  of  proposal  to  the  local

area development planning including schools, hospitals and mitigating measure, if any, is provided;

- (iv) comments from the National Highways Authority of India or Public Works Department or any other authority concerned regarding road safety, road alignment and road access conformity;
- (v) comments from the Fire Department regarding accessibility of the site to the fire tenders in case of emergency and preparedness of fire services for combating the emergencies.

In  addition,  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  issued  'Guidelines  for  setting  up  of new petrol pumps' dated 07.01.2020 and addendum dated 16.08.2021 which prescribe various pollution  prevention  and  control  measures  besides  siting  criteria  for  setting  up  of  new  petrol pumps.  Further,  State  Pollution  Control  Boards/Pollution  Control  Committees  (SPCBs/PCCs) have been directed to ensure strict adherence to the CPCB guidelines.

As  per  aforementioned  guidelines,  ground  water  and  soil  quality  monitoring  test  will  be conducted for those petrol pumps, that are selling more than 300 KL/month and set up in cities with  population  more  than  10  lakh  population  by  OMCs  once  in  two  years  through  the laboratories authorised under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. In case of fuel retail outlets which are located within 100 meter from the nearest point of surface water bodies, the ground water and soil quality monitoring test near the premises of such petrol pumps shall be conducted by OMCs once in a year through laboratories authorised under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986  or  laboratories  with  national/international  accreditation.  The  monitoring  reports  are submitted to SPCBs/PCCs.

As  per  the  aforesaid  guidelines,  Petroleum  and  Explosive  Safety  Organisation  (PESO)  shall conduct audit of tanks and fuel equipments including pipes, overfill protection equipment and alarm system on annual basis and maintain records.

During the last 5 years, two ROs of OMCs have been closed in compliance with the order of Hon'ble National Green Tribunal.

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