Industrial Siting Criteria in India: How to Check a Factory Location

Quick Answer: Industrial siting criteria help determine whether a particular industrial activity can be established at a particular location. In India, the assessment can involve State Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committee (SPCB/PCC) requirements, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) sector guidelines, land-use permissions, notified-area restrictions and other applicable approvals. There is no single distance table suitable for every factory. Start with the proposed manufacturing process and exact plot boundary, identify the applicable requirements, and verify each relevant condition against reliable records.

A plot is available at a reasonable price. It has road access, electricity nearby and enough space for production. Other factories are operating in the surrounding area.

Does that make it suitable for your proposed industry?

It is a promising starting point, but the location assessment is still incomplete.

The manufacturing process, permitted land use, nearby water bodies, surrounding habitation, applicable restrictions and availability of suitable infrastructure all need consideration. Two industries looking at the same plot may reach different conclusions.

For a factory owner, the useful question is: “What evidence do I need before treating this land as suitable for my project?”

This guide explains how to assess industrial siting criteria in India, which documents to collect, how to interpret distance requirements and how to organise the findings into a practical site-verification record.

Scope note: This article provides general guidance for preliminary assessment. It is not a site approval or legal opinion. Apply the current requirements relevant to the state, industrial activity and specific location, including amendments and applicable directions or court orders.

What Are Industrial Siting Criteria?

Industrial siting criteria are requirements governing where an industrial activity may be located and, where specified, its separation from surrounding features.

These features can include habitation, roads, water bodies, schools, hospitals, protected areas and other sensitive locations.

However, a complete site assessment extends beyond minimum distances.

It also asks:

• Is the proposed industrial use permitted on this land?
• Does a sector-specific location requirement apply?
• Is the plot within a notified or restricted area?
• Can the proposed water requirement be met through an authorised source?
• Is a suitable wastewater and waste-management arrangement available?
• Can the plot accommodate production, utilities and pollution-control facilities?
• Does the proposed activity need additional location-related approvals?

A useful assessment distinguishes three different findings.

These findings should remain separate. An additional approval requirement does not automatically mean that a location is prohibited. Equally, available infrastructure does not remove a location restriction.

For example, a nearby Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) may help with wastewater management. Its presence does not establish that the proposed activity is permitted on the plot or that the facility can accept the particular wastewater.

Who Sets Industrial Siting Requirements in India?

Industrial siting involves several authorities because environmental suitability, land use and development permissions address different questions.

The task is to identify which requirements apply to the proposed project and how they interact.

Why Do Industrial Siting Guidelines Show Different Distance Requirements?

Online searches for CPCB or SPCB siting criteria often show distances such as 500 metres, 5 kilometres or 25 kilometres. These figures may come from documents covering different industries, locations and purposes.

For example, the Wildlife Institute of India’s published guidelines for siting of industry describe a 5 km conservation zone and a 5–25 km regulatory zone around sensitive or protected areas. The latter includes consideration of development based on specified studies. Summarising this as a blanket 25 km prohibition changes the meaning of that guidance.

Similarly, MPCB publishes separate siting criteria for hot mix plants. A sector-specific distance should not automatically be applied to another manufacturing activity.

Before using any distance, identify:

• Scope: Which industry, state or notified area does the document cover?
• Status: Is it a draft, guideline, notification, direction or approval condition?
• Applicability: Does it address new units, existing units, expansion or relocation?
• Measurement: Which boundaries or reference points does it specify?
• Updates: Has it been amended, clarified or superseded?

The age of a document alone does not establish whether it remains applicable. Equally, a recently updated webpage may reproduce an older provision.

Record the relevant requirement and its source before comparing it with the site measurement.

Does Industry Category Decide Site Suitability?

Industry category is an important input, but the assessment also needs the actual process, capacity, fuels, water requirement, emissions and waste streams.

“Engineering unit” or “pharmaceutical unit” may be too broad a description for this purpose. Dry assembly, metal finishing and chemical synthesis involve different processes and environmental considerations.

Confirm the applicable category using the relevant entry and its qualifications. EHSSaral’s guide to industry categorisation in India explains this classification framework.

Avoid assigning a category based only on the product name. Supporting operations such as painting, washing, chemical treatment or fuel combustion can be relevant to the assessment.

Environmental Clearance, Consent and Land-Use Permission

These approvals address different parts of the project.

Environmental clearance under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework is generally handled by MoEFCC or the relevant State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), subject to the applicable category and provisions.

SPCB/PCC consent is a separate process. Land-use and development permissions are addressed through the competent planning or development authority.

For the site assessment, prepare a project-specific approval list rather than assuming that one permission settles every question.

EHSSaral’s Consent to Establish guide explains the wider consent application workflow.

What Should You Check Before Selecting a Factory Location?

Begin with the plot and proposed activity together. A location cannot be assessed meaningfully when either is poorly defined.

Land Use, Zoning and Development Permissions

Obtain the plot’s survey or cadastral identification and check the applicable planning records.

Establish:

• The existing land-use designation.
• Whether the proposed industrial activity is permitted.
• Whether conversion, development permission or another approval is required.
• Which authority controls development at that location.
• Whether any permission has conditions affecting the proposed use.

Land ownership, revenue classification, planning designation and building approval are different records. Review the relevant combination rather than relying on one document.

Where non-agricultural conversion or a similar permission is relevant, verify the state-specific route and applicable exceptions.

As a Maharashtra example, MPCB published a circular dated 29 July 2025 concerning verification of building/development permission when granting Consent to Establish (CTE) to units proposed outside industrial areas. Applicants should examine that circular together with subsequent clarifications applicable to their case. See MPCB’s building/development permission circular.

For an owner, the useful outcome is a clear answer to two questions: what use is currently supported by the documents, and what further permission is needed for the proposed activity?

Habitation, Schools, Hospitals and Other Sensitive Locations

Identify nearby settlements and places where people may be particularly affected by dust, noise, odour, emissions or industrial hazards.

Depending on the applicable requirement, relevant features may include:

• Residential habitation.
• Schools and educational institutions.
• Hospitals and healthcare facilities.
• Public gathering places.
• Other receptors specifically named in the relevant provision.

Read how the document defines the receptor. A village centre marker on an online map may not represent the boundary or reference point specified in the requirement.

Also record relevant features observed during the site visit even when they are missing from online maps.

A small group of buildings, a recently opened school or an occupied neighbouring property may deserve examination even if the online map has no label for it.

Rivers, Streams, Lakes, Drains and Flood-Prone Land

Document nearby water features and drainage routes.

A channel that is dry during a summer visit may carry substantial monsoon flow. Its appearance on one date does not establish its classification or regulatory relevance.

Check:

• Revenue, drainage and other relevant official records.
• Whether a notified wetland, floodplain or other restricted area is involved.
• The reference point prescribed by any applicable setback provision.
• Whether runoff from the site could enter the feature.
• Site levels, drainage paths and available flood information.

Separate a legally prescribed setback from a practical drainage concern. Both may affect site selection, but they need different evidence and responses.

Ask how stormwater currently leaves the plot and whether the proposed construction would obstruct that route. This is easier to address during site selection than after the building footprint has been finalised.

Roads, Access and Vehicle Movement

Review applicable road setbacks and access permissions, where relevant.

For preliminary feasibility, also assess whether tankers, raw-material vehicles, waste transport vehicles and emergency vehicles can access the proposed facility safely.

A road may appear wide enough on a map while having narrow approaches, restricted turning space or unsuitable connections.

Check the complete approach route, not only the road immediately outside the gate.

Record these constraints before finalising the layout, loading areas and storage locations.

Wind Direction, Terrain and Future Surrounding Development

Distance checks are one part of site assessment. Wind patterns, ground levels and surrounding development also help determine how the proposed operation may affect neighbouring areas.

During preliminary screening, consider:

• Whether prevailing and seasonal winds could carry dust or odour towards nearby habitation.
• Whether site slopes and drainage paths direct runoff towards a stream, settlement or adjoining property.
• Whether terrain or neighbouring structures require closer examination during air-quality assessment.
• Whether the applicable development plan identifies future residential or other sensitive uses nearby.

Use suitable meteorological information where the assessment requires it. Wind observed during one site visit is not a reliable description of year-round conditions.

These findings can inform the positioning of material storage, treatment facilities and emission sources. They can also help identify where detailed impact assessment or monitoring design is needed.

Where ambient monitoring is required, establish locations using the applicable requirements and site conditions rather than assuming a fixed number of stations or equal spacing.

Protected Areas, Eco-Sensitive Zones and Other Notified Areas

Where a site may be affected by an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) or another environmental notification, retrieve the relevant notification and amendments.

MoEFCC publishes individual ESZ notifications, including maps and subsequent changes. Use the applicable notified boundary and activity provisions rather than a general assumption about distance from a national park or sanctuary. See MoEFCC’s ESZ notifications.

The review should distinguish:

• Whether the plot falls within the notified area.
• Whether the proposed activity is prohibited, regulated or otherwise addressed.
• Whether other wildlife, forest or environmental requirements apply.

A nearby protected-area name is a signal to investigate. It does not, by itself, complete the assessment.

Coastal Locations and Tidal Water Bodies

For a potentially coastal site, check the applicable Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) framework and approved Coastal Zone Management Plan.

Do not use distance from the visible sea edge as the sole assessment.

The applicable framework also needs verification. The Government has explained that updated plans under the 2019 framework require approval, and the 2011 provisions continue to apply until the relevant updated plans are approved. See the official explanation of CRZ implementation.

Use the relevant approved map and applicable provisions to identify the site’s position and the implications for the proposed activity.

Critically Polluted Industrial Areas

If a proposed site falls within an identified polluted industrial area, check the defined area boundary and current project-related directions.

Historical restrictions should not be treated as automatically current. CPCB records show that moratoria in certain critically polluted areas have been imposed and subsequently lifted subject to conditions.

The relevant current position needs a location-specific review.

Record the applicable direction, its date and how it affects the proposed new unit or expansion.

Water Supply and Groundwater

For a water-dependent process, establish the proposed source and required quantity early.

Separate process water, cooling or utility requirements, cleaning water and domestic use. Identify any seasonal or peak demand that could affect the supply arrangement.

If groundwater is proposed, check the competent authority, current assessment-unit category and applicable eligibility and permission conditions. Do not group “Critical” and “Over-exploited” into one automatic approval or rejection outcome.

The official groundwater framework distinguishes these assessment categories and links them to groundwater-resource assessments. See the CGWA consolidated guidelines.

An existing borewell is evidence of infrastructure on the site. Further review is needed to establish the proposed abstraction’s permission status, suitability and reliable yield.

For the wider workflow, refer to EHSSaral’s groundwater NOC guide for factories.

Greenbelt Requirements and Space for Pollution-Control Facilities

A plot may accommodate the production building but leave insufficient space for the environmental and safety arrangements needed to operate it.

Before finalising the site, prepare a preliminary layout that accounts for:

Establish greenbelt requirements from the applicable provisions and project conditions. A figure found online, such as a 500-metre-wide belt or a percentage of plot area, should not be assumed to apply to every factory.

Also distinguish a greenbelt within the site from a separation distance between the industry and a nearby feature. They serve different purposes and are not automatically interchangeable.

This layout exercise helps identify whether the available land is practically sufficient before building dimensions and production capacity are finalised.

Other Checks for Relevant Projects

Some checks deserve attention only when the project or location triggers them.

Use this table to identify work that needs specialist review. It is not a universal approval checklist.

Three Examples That Show Why Applicability Matters

Example 1: Monument Restrictions Use Different Measurement Origins

The National Monuments Authority explains that the minimum prohibited area extends 100 metres from the protected limit of the centrally protected monument or site.

The regulated area extends a further 200 metres from the limit of the prohibited area. These limits can be extended through the applicable process.

Therefore, the two distances do not share the same starting point. Check the notified protected limits and applicable provisions before interpreting a measurement. See the National Monuments Authority FAQs.

Example 2: EIA Location Conditions Can Affect Appraisal

A location-related provision can change the appraisal route rather than create a blanket prohibition.

The Government’s explanation of the 2014 EIA amendment records a change from 10 km to 5 km for the relevant General Condition, subject to specified stipulations. This makes a universal “all factories need to be 10 km away” statement unreliable.

For an actual project, examine the current EIA Notification, amendments, applicable Schedule entry and General Condition. Establish both whether environmental clearance applies and what the location changes.

The historical amendment is an illustration of why context matters, not a substitute for checking the current project-specific position.

Example 3: Maharashtra Has Location-Specific Restrictions

MPCB’s location-restrictions page lists several distinct areas and subjects, including Dahanu, Bhatsa, Matheran, coastal regulation and sector-specific criteria.

The practical lesson is to search for both the industrial activity and the location. A sector guideline alone may not identify every applicable area restriction. See MPCB’s restrictions for locating industries.

Industry-Specific Siting Criteria: Checks for Common Activities

The general site-screening method remains useful across industries, but the details change with the activity. A stone crusher, poultry farm and concrete batching plant create different site-planning questions.

The following checks help owners prepare a meaningful assessment. They are not a substitute for the applicable distance schedule, consent requirements or location-specific restrictions.

Siting Criteria for Stone Crushers

For a stone crusher, assess the complete operation: unloading, crushing, screening, conveyors, stockpiles and vehicle movement. Measuring only from the crusher machine can leave important parts of the site unexamined.

Prepare a layout showing the plot boundary, equipment, storage areas, access roads and nearby features named in the applicable siting provisions.

Priority checks include:

• Prescribed separation from habitation, roads and sensitive locations.
• Whether the proposed location is subject to a designated-zone requirement.
• Space for dust-control arrangements, enclosures and maintenance.
• Water availability for the proposed dust-suppression system.
• Truck access and dust from internal roads and material handling.

For Maharashtra, review MPCB’s environmental guidelines for stone crusher units dated 10 January 2024, together with applicable siting provisions and subsequent amendments. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

Owner’s practical question: Does the site accommodate the whole crushing and handling operation, including its controls?

If a quarry supplies the crusher, assess the quarry-related permissions separately. Proximity to a raw-material source does not establish the crusher site’s suitability.

Siting Criteria for Poultry Farms

For poultry farms, start with the type of operation, maximum number of birds housed at one time, shed arrangement and proposed expansion. Include manure, litter, wash-water and dead-bird management in the site assessment.

Priority checks include:

• Nearby residential areas, water sources and other features identified in applicable guidance.
• Shed placement, ventilation and wind direction relative to neighbours.
• Covered or otherwise suitable manure and litter-management arrangements.
• A suitable mortality-management method and location.
• Drainage that prevents contaminated runoff from reaching surrounding land or water.

CPCB’s Environmental Guidelines for Poultry Farms, January 2022 provide a sector-specific reference. Check subsequent directions and the applicable state position, including consent applicability. mpcb.gov.in

Owner’s practical question: Where will manure, litter, cleaning water and dead birds be managed during normal operation?

An agricultural setting alone does not complete the environmental location assessment.

Siting Criteria for RMC Plants

A Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plant needs assessment of aggregate storage, cement silos, batching, loading and transit-mixer movement. State whether the proposal is a commercial plant or a captive plant serving a dedicated project.

Priority checks include:

• Applicable location criteria for the proposed plant type.
• Dust from aggregate handling, silo filling and vehicle movement.
• Space for dust controls and internal traffic circulation.
• Collection and management of mixer and vehicle wash water.
• Settling or recovery arrangements, where proposed, and management of collected solids.
• Separation of potentially contaminated water from stormwater drainage.

MPCB published revised RMC siting guidelines dated 17 October 2025. The document addresses Maharashtra-wide requirements and distinguishes commercial and captive plants. Review its applicability and subsequent changes before relying on older guidance. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

Owner’s practical question: Can mixers enter, queue, load, wash and leave within a workable layout?

Calling a plant “temporary” or “captive” is not enough to establish which requirements apply.

Siting Criteria for Brick Kilns

For a brick kiln, identify the proposed technology, capacity, fuel and raw-material source before assessing the location. Include material preparation, drying, firing, storage and vehicle movement.

Priority checks include:

• Applicable separation from habitation, orchards and existing kilns.
• Current technology, fuel and emission requirements.
• Space for raw materials, drying, finished bricks and internal access.
• Seasonal drainage and dust from material handling.
• The permissions relevant to sourcing or extracting the proposed raw material.

Review the brick-kiln environmental standards notified through G.S.R. 143(E), dated 22 February 2022, and the associated implementation material, alongside applicable state requirements and amendments. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

Owner’s practical question: Have the kiln location and raw-material sourcing arrangement both been assessed?

An existing kiln nearby should prompt a check of applicable spacing requirements, rather than be treated as evidence that another kiln can be established.

Siting Criteria for Hot Mix Plants

For a hot mix plant, document the capacity, heating system, fuel, aggregate handling and bitumen-storage arrangements. Include tanker unloading and dispatch operations in the preliminary layout.

Priority checks include:

• Applicable distances from habitation and other specified receptors.
• Dust from aggregate storage, handling and vehicle movement.
• Combustion emissions and proposed control equipment.
• Bitumen and fuel storage, spill containment and access.
• Space for maintenance, drainage and movement of heavy vehicles.

For Maharashtra, consult MPCB’s environmental standards and siting criteria for hot mix plants dated 10 January 2024, together with subsequent applicable provisions. www.mpcb.gov.in

Owner’s practical question: Does the plot accommodate heating, storage, loading and pollution-control arrangements as a complete operation?

An RMC plant and a hot mix plant involve different processes. Do not transfer a location criterion from one to the other merely because both serve construction projects.

How to Assess a Proposed Industrial Site Step by Step

The following workflow summarises the main checks before buying or leasing factory land. Use it to identify the evidence needed, record unresolved questions and decide whether the site is suitable for further planning. The detailed steps below explain how to organise the assessment.

Step 1: Prepare a Process Summary

Describe the proposed operation clearly enough for someone else to assess it.

Include:

• Products, production capacity and manufacturing steps.
• Raw materials and significant chemical inventories.
• Water demand and proposed source.
• Wastewater quantity, characteristics and proposed destination.
• Fuel, boilers, furnaces, diesel generator sets and other emission sources.
• Waste streams and proposed management arrangements.
• Foreseeable expansion.

Avoid assessing a site for “assembly” when painting, washing or surface treatment is also planned.

Where information is preliminary, label the assumptions. This allows the assessment to be updated when the process design becomes clearer.

Step 2: Establish the Exact Plot

Collect the survey numbers, boundary plan, coordinates, ownership or lease records and relevant planning documents.

Use the actual plot polygon where possible. A single map pin can conceal how close one corner of a large plot lies to a receptor or restricted boundary.

Resolve discrepancies between the offered land, recorded parcel and proposed project area.

If several adjoining parcels are being purchased, establish which are included in the factory proposal and how access and infrastructure will be arranged.

Step 3: Create an Applicable-Document List

Search for:

1. Relevant state or PCC location requirements.
2. Applicable sector-specific guidelines or directions.
3. Area-specific notifications and restrictions.
4. Planning and development requirements.
5. Additional approvals triggered by the project or resource use.

Retain the full documents, including annexures and maps. Record amendments and clarifications.

For each important provision, note why it applies to the proposed project. This is more useful than collecting a folder of circulars without an applicability assessment.

Step 4: Map and Verify the Relevant Features

Prepare an initial surroundings map, then verify the features that matter to the applicable requirements.

If a mapped stream, settlement edge or boundary is uncertain, record the uncertainty and identify the evidence needed to resolve it.

Retain the mapping source, date, reference points and any supporting survey information. A later reviewer should be able to understand how the measurement was obtained.

Step 5: Complete a Site-Verification Record

For each important site question, record the requirement, evidence and unresolved action. A verbal assurance is useful background, but the decision should be supported by documents that relate to the actual plot and proposed activity.

Use the following table to organise the review.

For every unresolved item, add an action owner and target date.

Use clear status descriptions:

• Verified: The relevant evidence has been reviewed and the finding recorded.
• Evidence pending: The necessary document or measurement is missing.
• Clarification required: Evidence exists, but its applicability or meaning remains uncertain.
• Conflict identified: A documented condition appears inconsistent with the proposed project.

These are internal review statuses. They do not constitute approval by an authority.

Step 6: Resolve Material Uncertainty Before Final Commitment

Where a location question could change project feasibility, seek clarification with a complete information package.

Include the process summary, plot identification, relevant provision, map and the precise question.

“Can we establish an industry here?” is difficult to answer. A documented question about a defined process and parcel is more useful.

Separate issues that need additional documents from those that need engineering work or an authority’s interpretation. Assign each to someone able to resolve it.

How Should Siting Distances Be Measured?

A distance is meaningful only when its starting point, endpoint and method are clear.

Do not assume that road travel distance is the relevant separation distance.

Similarly, do not assume that moving a machine within the plot resolves a requirement expressed from the plot boundary.

Illustrative example: The plot centre is 720 metres from a feature, while the nearest plot boundary is 460 metres away. If the applicable requirement measures from the plot boundary, the centre-point measurement cannot establish compliance.

These are hypothetical measurements, not prescribed legal thresholds.

When the wording is unclear, record the possible interpretations and seek clarification. A conservative screening assumption should be labelled as an assumption.

Where a measurement is close to an applicable limit, its accuracy becomes especially important. Identify whether better boundary information or a suitable survey is needed before drawing a conclusion.

Can Google Maps Be Used to Check Siting Criteria?

Google Maps and satellite imagery are useful for initial screening, site orientation and identifying features for investigation.

They can help a team understand surroundings before visiting the site. However, imagery does not necessarily establish legal boundaries, land-use permission or the regulatory classification of a water feature.

Use Official Sources for the Relevant Question

Bhuvan’s thematic information includes layers such as land use/land cover, water bodies and flood-related information. Check the layer’s date, scale and purpose before using it for a plot-level conclusion.

A land-cover layer showing built-up land does not, by itself, establish permission for the proposed industrial use. Use the source that answers the particular question being assessed.

A useful mapping record identifies the source, date, plotted boundary and measurement endpoints. Keep screenshots as supporting evidence alongside the underlying records.

Where to Find GPCB Siting Criteria for a Proposed Site

For a Gujarat project, begin with the Gujarat Pollution Control Board’s official website and obtain the applicable siting circular, amendments and any relevant sector-specific provisions.

Search results can display several versions of a distance table. Before using one, record the document number, issue date, scope and whether a later document modifies it.

Prepare the following information for the review:

Do not rely solely on a third-party map or summary to interpret an exception. Read its scope and conditions in the applicable official document.

Where applicability remains unclear, submit the process summary, plot details, map and precise question to the relevant GPCB office for clarification. Retain that response with the site-verification record.

Does an MIDC or GIDC Plot Automatically Qualify?

A plot in a Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) or Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estate can simplify parts of project planning. The proposed activity still needs to fit the relevant plot conditions, estate conditions and regulatory requirements.

Before relying on an estate’s infrastructure or an existing factory’s permissions, ask for the supporting documents.

A nearby treatment facility does not establish that it can receive the proposed wastewater. Similarly, a visible drain does not establish an acceptable discharge route.

For an existing industrial property, also ask about previous chemical handling, underground tanks, waste storage and any reported spills or contamination. The history helps determine whether further inspection is appropriate.

Use the estate’s advantages as verified project inputs, rather than assumptions.

Practical Example: Two Activities Considering the Same Maharashtra Plot

This example is hypothetical. The distances are assumed observations, not statutory limits or approval conclusions.

A promoter is evaluating a plot outside a designated industrial estate in Maharashtra.

Preliminary mapping suggests:

• A settlement approximately 650 metres from the nearest plot boundary.
• A seasonal channel approximately 180 metres away.
• A state highway approximately 240 metres away.
• An existing borewell.
• No confirmed CETP connection.
• No planning confirmation for the proposed activity in the documents supplied.

Two possible projects are being considered:

Option A: Bulk-drug manufacturing involving chemical synthesis, solvent handling and process wastewater.

Option B: Dry assembly of purchased components, without painting, plating, chemical surface treatment or process washing.

What the Comparison Shows

The available distances do not establish that either option meets the applicable criteria.

However, the comparison is useful: it shows why the chemical process requires a different scope of technical and approval review.

Completed Preliminary Verification Record

The immediate output is a focused action list. It prevents assumptions from being mistaken for completed checks.

For the promoter, the next decision is whether the identified uncertainties can be resolved through documents, engineering work and relevant clarification within the project’s practical constraints.

Common Mistakes in Industrial Siting Assessment

Factory Land Selection Checklist: What to Verify Before Buying or Leasing

A prospective factory owner does not need to memorise every environmental provision. The practical objective is to define the intended operation, collect the right evidence and resolve questions that could change the land decision.

Use this checklist while comparing sites, before treating a plot as suitable for the project.

Start with a One-Page Factory Description

Give the same process description to the seller, architect, environmental consultant and project engineer. Otherwise, each person may assess a different version of the factory.

Include:

• Products and proposed production capacity.
• Manufacturing steps, including cleaning and finishing.
• Major raw materials and chemicals.
• Water demand and proposed source.
• Wastewater sources and preliminary quantity estimates.
• Boilers, furnaces, diesel generator sets and fuel requirements.
• Expected waste streams and storage needs.
• Working hours, vehicle movements and foreseeable expansion.

Describe activities precisely. “Engineering factory” does not reveal whether the project includes only assembly or also degreasing, painting, pickling and plating.

Where a quantity is not yet known, label it as an estimate and assign someone to refine it.

Questions to Resolve Before Committing to the Plot

Treat this as a review checklist, not a scoring system. Several satisfactory items do not cancel one unresolved issue that could prevent the intended activity.

Common Industry Examples: What Changes the Land Assessment?

The following examples cover familiar manufacturing situations. They identify questions to investigate, rather than assign a pollution category or approval outcome.

A factory can fall into more than one row. For example, an engineering business that operates a plating line needs the surface-treatment process assessed even if plating is a small part of total production.

Small Process Changes Can Change the Site Requirements

Consider these examples during planning.

Assembly with an added painting line: A shed initially assessed for dry assembly may later need space and arrangements for paint storage, ventilation, emissions control and waste handling. Disclose the painting process at the site-selection stage.

Food processing with frequent cleaning: Water demand and wastewater generation can rise sharply during cleaning periods. Ask the engineer to examine these peaks rather than using only a daily average.

Plastic processing with scrap washing: A unit using clean purchased granules and a unit washing incoming scrap have different water and wastewater questions. “Plastic factory” is not a sufficient process description.

Textile stitching with future dyeing: An empty portion of the plot does not establish that wet processing can be added. Review the future process, water source, treatment route and applicable requirements separately.

These examples show why site screening should include utilities and supporting operations, not just the main production machine.

Compare Sites Using Total Setup and Operating Implications

Once location and approval questions are understood, compare the costs of making each viable site operational.

A lower land price can be outweighed by expensive utility connections or an unsuitable wastewater arrangement. Obtain preliminary engineering estimates before treating two plots as financially comparable.

For example, one plot may have a higher purchase price but an established suitable water connection and an acceptable wastewater arrangement. Another may require significant additional infrastructure. Compare the complete project implications using evidence and estimates for each site.

Finish with a Clear Site-Review Decision

Summarise the assessment in one of the following ways:

For a conditional decision, record the exact action, responsible person and evidence needed to close it. Avoid a vague conclusion such as “approval should be possible.”

Coordinate this review with the Consent to Establish process. After permissions are obtained, carry the relevant consent conditions into the layout, construction plan and operating arrangements.

A useful land assessment should leave the owner able to explain why the plot suits the proposed factory, what evidence supports that conclusion and what remains to be resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are CPCB Siting Criteria the Same Across All States?

Do not assume that a CPCB document alone provides the complete location requirements. Check its scope alongside the applicable SPCB/PCC provisions, state requirements and location-specific notifications.

Is There a Common Minimum Distance Between Every Factory and Residential Areas?

There is no single distance table suitable for every industrial activity and location. Identify the relevant sector and jurisdictional provision before selecting a distance for assessment. Also check how the provision defines habitation and its measurement points.

Is a 25 km Distance Mandatory for Every Industry?

A 25 km figure should not be treated as a universal setback for every factory. It appears in published guidance with particular contexts and qualifications. Identify the source, its applicability and the current requirements for the proposed activity and location before using it.

Is a 500-Metre or 1-Kilometre Greenbelt Compulsory for Every Factory?

Do not assume these widths apply to every factory. Check the applicable sector requirements, environmental clearance, consent and development conditions. Confirm whether a stated figure concerns an internal greenbelt, an external buffer or separation from a sensitive feature.

How Do I Find the Siting Criteria for My Industry?

Start with a precise process description and the relevant SPCB/PCC website. Search for the industry, siting or location criteria, circulars and amendments. Then check applicable CPCB documents and area-specific restrictions.

Can Google Maps Confirm That a Site Meets Siting Requirements?

It can support preliminary screening. A final assessment needs the applicable requirement, reliable boundary information and evidence suited to the feature being checked. A map pin or screenshot alone does not establish land-use permission or site approval.

Does an Industrial-Estate Plot Remove the Need for Further Checks?

The proposed activity, plot conditions, estate conditions and infrastructure arrangements still need review. Keep written evidence of the relevant permissions and service arrangements, including wastewater acceptance where applicable.

Is CTE the Same as Land-Use Permission?

They address different matters. Review industrial-use and development requirements through the competent planning authority and the relevant environmental consent requirements through the pollution-control authority.

What Should We Do When Two Documents Appear to Conflict?

Compare their issuing authority, legal basis, scope, dates and amendment history. Check whether one expressly modifies the other. Seek documented clarification where the apparent conflict remains material to the site decision.

Should Siting Be Reviewed During Expansion or a Process Change?

Include a location and approval review in the proposed change assessment. New processes, capacities, chemical inventories, water demand or additional land can change the matters that need examination.