The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), on October 29, 2025, issued an Office Memorandum rationalising the green belt/green cover requirements for Industrial Estates/Parks and individual industries, linking the extent of green cover to the pollution potential of projects requiring Environmental Clearance (EC) under the EIA Notification, 2006.
The revised framework replaces the earlier OM dated 27.10.2020 and prescribes minimum green belt norms for new industrial estates, including 10% common green area with dense plantation to be developed by the estate developer, along with graded green belt obligations for individual units based on their Red, Orange, Green or White category. For standalone industrial units outside estates, differentiated green belt percentages have been notified, further refined for predominantly air-polluting sectors based on Pollution Index (PIA). Green belt development for Green and White category industries has largely been made optional, except where higher pollution potential exists.
The OM also mandates 40% green belt for Red and Orange category units located in Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) and Severely Polluted Areas (SPAs), reiterating compliance with NGT directions. Detailed guidance has been issued on species selection, design, maintenance, monitoring, and reporting, including half-yearly submissions to SPCB/PCC and MoEFCC IROs, to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of green belts.
[Notification No. IA3-22/14/2025-IA.III]
