Lok Sabha Question No. 2 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Revised Greenbelt and Plantation Norms for Sustainable Industrial Growth
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Hasmukhbhai Somabhai Patel, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Shri Alok Sharma, Shri Naba Charan Majhi, Shri Miteshbhai Rameshbhai Patel, Shri Ashish Dubey, Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar, Shri Kali Charan Singh, Shri Vijay Baghel, Shri Dileshwar Kamait, Shri Nalin Soren, Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Shri P C Mohan

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025

## Revised Greenbelt and Plantation Norms for Sustainable Industrial Growth

2.    SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

SHRI NALIN SOREN:

SHRI BASAVARAJ BOMMAI:

SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI P C MOHAN:

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:

SHRI ALOK SHARMA:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

SHRI HASMUKHBHAI SOMABHAI PATEL:

SHRI MITESH PATEL BAKABHAI:

SHRI ASHISH DUBEY:

SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:

SHRI KALI CHARAN SINGH:

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

- (a)     the details of the revised greenbelt and plantation norms notified by the Government for new  industrial estates, parks and individual industrial projects under the Environmental Clearance framework;
- (b)    the rationale behind revising the earlier requirement of 33 per cent green cover to the present norms;
- (c)    the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure that the revised norms continue to promote sustainable industrial growth;
- (d)    whether the Government is also revising greenbelt and distance norms for new oil and gas terminals in view of rapid urbanisation in the cities; and
- (e)    if so, the details thereof and the manner in which the said project is likely to benefit Jabalpur  and  Mewar  Lok  Sabha  Constituencies  in  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Rajasthan respectively?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) In  order  to  rationalise  the  green  belt  requirement  based  on  pollution  potential,  the Ministry vide 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 27th 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 respective 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. (b) 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. (c) to (e)  The Central Government has ensured that the revised green belt/green cover norms are implemented with a monitoring mechanism which ensures that the industrial estates shall submit  a  half yearly green  belt status report to the  State  Pollution  Control  Boards (SPCB)/Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCC)  and  the  Integrated  Regional  Office  (IRO)  of MoEFCC, informing canopy coverage, number of living trees, height and species, survival rate, etc. with drone imagery. The individual industrial units also need to submit half yearly reports on their green belt areas, including total area covered, number of trees, species types, and other relevant details, as part of their environmental statements to the respective SPCB/PCC. The green belt details submitted by the Industrial Estate will be verified by IRO and SPCB/ PCC on yearly basis. The green belt details of individual units will also be verified by SPCB/PCC on random basis at time of inspections. The revised green belt norms shall be applicable to all the projects across the country, including  those  in  Jabalpur  and  Mewar  Lok  Sabha  Constituencies  in  Madhya  Pradesh  and Rajasthan  respectively.  The  revised  norms  provide  the  benefit  of  additional  land  area  to industries  to  expand  their  operations  without  compromising  the  environmental  needs  of developing green belt/ green cover.

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