Initiatives taken and Standard Procedures defined
by
Gujarat Pollution Control Board
C.L.Meena (IAS Retd.)
President, Gujarat Civil Services Tribunal
Key Features
1. Knowledge of Laws , Acts, rules & Policies pertaining to
pollution control
2. Training & Development
3. Implementation
4. Monitoring
Objective of Manuals
•
To ensure proper and systematic monitoring and supervision of Industries,
Health care Units, common effluent treatment plants, Bio-medical Treatment
facilities, TSDF and STP sites.
•
It is necessary that the officials engaged in monitoring have written guidelines
along with certain thumb rules to help them in handling different situations. It
was, therefore decided to bring out manual covering various aspects related to
legal, technical, scientific, administration and account matters.
The GPCB manual is thus being brought out in four parts, namely :Part - I
Legal Manual - covering legal aspects.
Part - II
Technical Manual - covering technical matters, especially on how to
carry out monitoring of units as well as processing of files.
Part - III
Scientific Manual - covering scientific aspects including management
of GPCB laboratories across the State and
Part- IV
Administration and Accounts Manual - dealing with administrative
and account matters.
Legal Manual
published on 31st
March 2008 with 691
pages divided into 7
chapters and 30 sub
chapters.
Part - I Legal Manual
•
The Legal manual opens up with a discussion on Stockholm Convention
and dwells on concepts of International Environment Management
discussed during Rio Summit in 1992 and Johannesburg Summit in 2002.
•
It also deals with the Montreal Protocol for protection of ozone layer and
Kyoto Protocol for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
•
Later on, the National Environment Policy, brought out in 2006, is also
discussed with the objectives, important principles and strategies and actions
proposed in the policy.
•
The document also talks about the various constitutional provisions which
are applicable in environment protection.
•
Few of the provisions of CrPC and IPC are also discussed in brief.
Part - I Legal Manual
•
The three major Environmental Acts and the Water Cess Act have also
been included in the manual along with commentaries on them.
•
The various rules and notifications made under these acts have also
been discussed in detail.
•
The manual has covered all the environment legislations including
those related with the formation of various authorities including the
tribunals. Thus all aspects of environment viz. Land ,Air, Water and
Spectrum have been covered.
•
The laws covered include the older ones like 'General Clauses Act of
1897 to the most recent ones like ' The Right to Information Act'.
Technical Manual
published on 31st
March 2008 with 154
pages divided into 18
chapters.
Part - II Technical Manual
•
The Technical Manual deals in detail with the system of working, especially
in regard to grant of various consents and permissions under the various
environmental laws.
•
The roles and responsibilities of various officials of the board have been
clearly spelt out. The work flow system of the board has been explain
through charts.
•
The guiding principles in various situations, especially during processing
of files, have been laid down without any ambiguity.
•
This, I believe, would go a long way in making GPCB a transparent
organization.
Scientific Manual
published on 31st
March 2008 with 872
pages divided into 9
chapters and 53 sub
chapters.
Part - III Scientific Manual
•
The scientific manual deals with the general procedures to be
followed in scientific analysis.
•
This includes water environment monitoring using physico-chemical,
microbiological and biological parameters.
•
The manual also touches upon the infrastructure and the categories
of the scientific instruments to be provided in the labs.
•
A procedure of sampling and preservation of samples has also been
provided for. The AQA (analytical quality assurance) and AXC
(analytical quality control) has also been emphasized upon.
•
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in
analysis would help the officials of the board in achieving the results
with greater accuracy and precision.
•
This, in turn, would help in making GPCB labs comparable with the
labs having the best practices throughout the country.
Accounts Manual
published on 31st
March 2008 with 138
pages.
Part- IV Administration and Accounts Manual
•
Account Manual covers the procedures related to accounts and
administrative guidelines.
•
The Board is following the government instructions in financial
matter and the Accounts Manual only mentions about the
guidelines for maintenance of accounts.
E-Governance
eXtended Green Node - XGN
Developed and Implemented in Technical Support from the National
Informatics Centre, Gandhinagar
eXtended Green Node - XGN
•
XGN - India’s first G2B portal developed to provide a one-stop destination for
environmental compliances
•
Aims at transforming and developing a conducive environment
•
Conceptualised as 24x7 convenient and efficient single window facility by
making all environment regulatory services available on a single portal through
unique ID
•
XGN-G2B Portal serving as a GATEWAY for all round facilities including
making applications and compliances of regulatory requirements
•
Successful instrument leading to rapid continual improvement of environmental
performances, especially SMEs.
•
Basic Tool for performance evaluation of Policies
Stakeholders
Several
Hundred
Citizens
27 Regional
Offices
14
Units at Head
Office
4
Vigilance
Offices
170 Urban
Local Bodies
18
CBWTFs
9
Labs
XGN
33
CETPs
23,000 +
Industries
Account,
Legal &
Water Cess
Branch
32,000 +
Health Care
Units
9 TSDF &
27 Captive
Landfill
100+
Consultant
100+
Auditors
CBWTFs : Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facilities
CETPs : Common Effluent Treatment Plants
Environment Management through e-Governance

XGN




ApplicationOnline
Online
payments
Written
remarks
e-SMS
e-Talk






CTE
CTO
BMW
Authorization
Inspection Report
Water Cess returns
Complaints
e-Movement, online processing of applications,
Uniformity in process, Reduction in time limit,
Sound decision making, reduction in rejection ratio
of applications
16
Some of the Modules Implemented
INDUSTRY Profile
Online CTE-CTO
Applications
Applications
Scrutiny System
e-Movement of
Files &
Monitoring of CTE
& CCA
Inspection Module
Laboratory
Module
Monitoring of
Projects
Hazardous Waste
Monitoring
Billing-Payments
System
LEGAL Actions
Monitoring
Co-processing
Module
Bio Medical Waste
Module
Environment Audit
System
Water Cess Online
System
Complaint/
Grievances
Redressal system
Municipal Solid
Waste module
Violations
Monitoring
Module
Challenges
No such successful model available in the regulatory domain
Required re-engineering of many business processes
Inherent internal resistance to bring transparency
Changing mindset of the Stakeholders
Non-availability of infrastructure - web connectivity, software/hardware
Pending work surfaced out
Transparency of the system killed monopolistic practices
Staff was not computer savvy – necessitated huge capacity building
No in-house IT specialist staff
Average age of the staff in the organization was 50+
Overcoming of Challenges
Provided computer literacy at the cost of the organization followed by an exam by the
third party
Amendment of the recruitment rules of all cadres
Linked future promotions with the computer literacy
Linking promotions with grading of the ACRs / performance
Hiring of NIC - proven ability and credibility : they didn’t charge except for hired
manpower cost
Business process reengineering : from submission of application to documentation to
processing and communication
Decision to completely stop accepting the physical applications
Scrutiny to start before receipt of fees
Overcoming of Challenges
Procurement of adequate hardware and software – PC to all
Industries would enter their data - responsible for its correctness
PDFs shall be allowed to be uploaded and would be stored in server
Addition of various useful features – reduced the labour of the staff
Opening of “Help Desk” in all offices to support small businesses to use it
E-Outward and system generated provisional orders
Ranking of the offices and officers - resulted into healthy competition
Continuous motivation to staff and officers
Informal meetings, debates and talks – brunchion meetings
Innovations & Process Re-engineering
Auto Renewals – Self Certification by compliant industries
Provisional Consent Orders – system generated
Inspections NOT as per will, but Sequence & Priority is XGN aided, otherwise it
reflects in Ranking !!!
Any e-file which has exceeded the stipulated days in a work-flow is auto-reflected
to the NEXT level for e-Processing
System ensured work flow as per Citizen Charter
e-Communication between stakeholders through SMS, e-Talk, e-Message Box &
SMS Alerts (38 Transactions)
Written Instructions during inspections : e-Compliance monitoring
Online live Waste Exchange e-Platform for Co-processing of wastes amongst
potential generators and Cement Plants
e-Governance Impacts – Benefits to GPCB
Approx 12% staff retired – Still could open 13 new field Offices
Time taken for permits reduced by almost 50%
Diverted office staff into “Monitoring Teams” in new field offices
Aided in ISO 9001 & 14001 (BIS), NABL accreditations for LABs & Recognized
Research Centre of University
Rejection ratio gone down significantly
Recovery of outstanding amount (Water Cess & LAB Charges) and sharp increase of
income
Industries coming to offices reduced significantly (e.g. 128 to 03)
Timely Compliance by industries
e – Governance Impacts
Activity
Before XGN
Year
2014-15
Monitoring Visits in a Year
7,500
54,162
Samples Drawn in a Year
7,100
23,846
Profile Updations by Ind./ HCUs - Monthly
No System
9,500 +
Samples Analysed in laboratories – Yearly
3,250
22,549
PDF Docs uploaded by stake holders – Yearly
No System
80,500+
NOC-CCA Applications – Yearly
Ratio of Rejection – Yearly
Water Cess Returns Filed
2,500
40 %
1,900
17,785
7%
34,500
Total Waste CO-PROCESSED – MT/year
(reused as fuel and / or raw material thus
reducing environmental impact of the waste)
Nil
37,63,591
e-Governance benefits to businesses
Can submit applications online (24x7, 365 days)
Obtain queries online
Can submit replies online (24x7, 365 days)
Obtain inspection remarks online – facilitate in early compliance
Track the status of permit applications
Obtain permits online (instant provisional orders)
Obtain alerts for non-compliances
Obtain Show Cause Notices, Directions, etc online – can submit compliances
online
e-Governance benefits to businesses
Online assessment of water cess, hazardous waste manifests
Online payment (through RTGS)
Obtain sample analysis
Can interact with Board through e-talk (No need to visit offices)
Obtain alerts for dues / payments
Obtain alerts for pending renewal permissions
Obtain status of application through return SMS
All 38 transections between an industry and Board are conveyed through parallel
SMSes
Procedure for the CTE (NOC)
Application submitted to RO
Scrutinizing Application / Site Inspection
Scrutiny / processing by HO staff
Decision by Unit Head at HO
15 days [30 days]
10 days [30 days]
7 days [15 days]
Decision by MS / Chairman
5 days [15 days]
Grant of CTE (NOC)
Total 40 days [105 days] if all formalities / procedures are followed
timely correctly.
Red letters shows the time line before implementation of XGN
Black letters shows the present time line for processing by XGN
3 days [15 days]
Procedure for the CC&A
Application submitted to RO
Scrutinizing Application / Site Inspection
Scrutiny / processing by HO staff
Decision by Unit Head at HO
15 days [45 days]
15 days [30 days]
15 days [15 days]
Decision by MS / Chairman
10 days [15 days]
Grant of CC&A
Total 60 days [120 days] if all formalities / procedures are followed
correctly.
Red letters shows the time line before implementation of XGN
Black letters shows the present time line for processing by XGN
5 days [15 days]
e – Governance Impacts
Provides hassle free,
24 X 7 anywhere e-access
to businesses through
unique ID to perform
various activities
Industry need not to go to
Regional Office physically
for submission of
application
Status Tracking
(8 Stages) of e-fileIndustry know where
file is lying
Increased Revenue –
Rs 28 Crores to 117
Crores (Fees+ Lab+
Water Cess)
85% e-Files
Disposals within
41 days (against
120 days defined)
85% applications are
processed before Fees
Stakeholder satisfaction
due to multilevel SMSing
of all 38 transactions
for timely alerts-efficient
delivery system
Increase in
productivity,
Waste as Resource
– Pollution
Prevention and
Control
Defaulters have reduced from
35% to 11 % - Pollution in
major estates has significantly
reduced
XGN Replications
Already Replicated &
extended to :• Himachal Pradesh
• Uttarakhands
• MadhyaPradesh
• Karnataka
• Goa
• Andhra Pradesh
Pipeline
(requests received)
• Tamilnadu
• Kerala
• Haryana
• Bihar
• Uttar Pradesh
• Assam
Awards, Accolades and Recognitions :
National e-governance Award (Processes Re-engineering) - 2009 by DoPT, GOI
Special Recognition Award in Environment by Computer Society of India at the CSINihilent e-Governance Awards 2010
An Award of Excellence - Under G2B Category by Computer Society of India at the
CSI-Nihilent e-Governance Awards 2012-13
Recognition by Planning Commission as Best Practice in Environment Sector, 2012
Manthan South Asia – Asia Pacific Award 2014
Recognition by the DIPP, MoCI, GOI, in May 2014 in their report “Best Practices to
Improve Business Environment”
Awarded ISO 9001 and 14001 for HO and Regional Offices by BIS and NABL
certificates for Laboratories
“The case study of Gujarat’s XGN – Xtended Green
Node for the State Pollution Control Dept. Consent
management system at the end of this section provides
an insight into how the State achieved a 100% score on
this area of the assessment.”
Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms
- World Bank Report September-2015 page 41
Case Study:
Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) adopted a web based application
called eXtended Grean Node (XGN) to provide an IT solution for effective
implementation of various pollution control board clearances/procedures.
XGN provides hassle free 24X7 anywhere e-access to businesses to apply
online, track application approvals, file returns and statements and getting
online permission under various Acts and rules. Obtain the online permissions
from GPCB. The functionality is available on mobile platform as well. The
system also provides e-payment facilities through RTGC, as well as allows
inspectors to be allocated online. All the important data, permissions, legal
documents etc. can remain in the soft form in the database and can be
retrieved by the industry whenever needed.
Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms
- World Bank Report September-2015 page 49
Thank you