New Delhi

The government on Monday told the Lok Sabha that greenbelt and plantation norms for industries have been revised to balance land needs with environmental protection.

MoS Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said the new rules, based on committee recommendations, link green cover requirements to the pollution potential of industries. Red-category units must develop more greenbelt than orange-category ones.

Under the norms notified on October 29, industrial estates must reserve at least 10% of their area as common green space, while red- and orange-category units within them must maintain 15% and 10% greenbelt respectively. Units outside estates must keep 25% (red) and 20% (orange) green cover, with a 5% relaxation for non–air-polluting units.

Green and white industries are exempt unless a green-category unit has an air pollution score of 25 or above, requiring 10% green cover.

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Industrial estates and units must submit half-yearly reports with details such as canopy cover, number of trees and drone imagery, with annual or random verification by the ministry’s regional offices and state pollution control bodies.