Productivity council will manage environment audit framework

The government has entrusted the National Productivity Council (NPC) with the responsibility for the overall management of the environmental audit framework.

NPC — an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry — has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to function as the Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA) under the Environment Audit Rules, 2025.

The environmental audit framework will serve as an instrument to strengthen compliance with major environmental legislations, including the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act; the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act; the Forest Conservation Act; and the Wild Life (Protection) Act.

It will also support compliance with regulatory approvals such as Environmental Clearance (EC), Consent to Establish (CTE), and Consent to Operate (CTO) issued by the competent authorities, a statement said.

Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) are mandatory environmental approvals under the Water and Air Acts. CTE is required prior to setting up a new project or undertaking modifications to an existing one. CTO is obtained after construction and installation are completed, but before the commencement of production.

As the designated agency, NPC will also undertake the certification and registration of Certified Environmental Auditors (CEA) and Registered Environmental Auditors (REA), as well as the development and management of digital systems for environmental audit processes.

NPC will further facilitate capacity building through training programmes, workshops, and awareness initiatives to support the effective implementation of the audit framework.

The roles and responsibilities of the EADA include prescribing minimum eligibility criteria for Certified Environmental Auditors and developing screening methodologies, including examinations and other certification processes.

It will also certify Environmental Auditors and, where necessary, initiate disciplinary action against Certified and Registered Environmental Auditors. In addition, it will frame guidelines, procedures, and standards governing the functioning of auditors, and maintain an online, publicly accessible register of all Certified and Registered Environmental Auditors.