HSPCB Consent to Establish & Operate (Haryana Pollution NOC)
Before you set up a unit that may pollute water or air in Haryana, you need Consent to Establish (CTE) from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board. Before production starts, you need HSPCB consent to operate (CTO). How the process runs depends on whether your unit is red, orange, green or white category.
What it is
Most people call it a “pollution NOC”. The law calls it consent, and it comes in two stages. Consent to Establish (CTE) lets you set up the unit. Consent to Operate (CTO) lets you start running it.
Two central laws sit behind it. Section 25 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 says no one may establish, or take any step to establish, an industry, operation or process likely to discharge sewage or trade effluent without the previous consent of the State Board. Section 21 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 does the same for industrial plants in an air pollution control area. In Haryana, the Board is the HSPCB at Panchkula, and applications run through its Online Consent Management & Monitoring System (OCMMS) and the Invest Haryana single window at investharyana.in.
Who it applies to
Plan for full scrutiny in red and orange
Units with a higher pollution potential need CTE before construction and CTO before production. The Board looks closely at effluent and emission controls.
Use the faster route for green units
Lower-pollution units still need consent. For applications from 15 November 2025, green MSMEs in Haryana can get their first CTO on self-declaration, and large green units on a third-party audit report. In practice, a small green-category unit in Faridabad with Udyam registration can file its first CTO without waiting for an audit.
Expanding? Take fresh consent first
Adding capacity, a new product or a new outlet needs fresh consent. Section 25 covers extensions and additions, and new or altered discharge outlets.
Why it matters
Stay on the right side of the law
Consent comes before you establish or operate, not after the first batch ships.
Clear the way for other approvals
Banks and buyers often ask for the CTE or CTO during loan appraisal and vendor audits. It also sits alongside your factory licence in Haryana, so a missing consent can stall more than one approval.
Keep the power on
The Board can order closure, and stoppage of electricity or water supply, for a unit that runs without consent.
Categories at a glance
| Category | Pollution index score | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 60 and above | CTE, then CTO |
| Orange | 41 to 59 | CTE, then CTO |
| Green | 21 to 40 | CTE, then CTO (self-declaration route for MSMEs’ first CTO in Haryana) |
| White | Up to 20 | No CTO needed; an intimation to the Board is enough |
The scores come from the Central Pollution Control Board’s categorisation announced on 5 March 2016. HSPCB adds sectors to these lists from time to time; its order of 26 February 2024 placed more industrial and non-industrial sectors into the four categories. Your category decides the route. We confirm it against the current HSPCB list before anything is filed.
Here is the catch: the category follows the process, not the company. Picture a Faridabad auto-parts maker that adds a new surface-treatment line to an existing plant. That extension needs fresh consent before the line runs, and the category of the new process decides how much scrutiny follows.
Documents required
About the unit
- Proof of ownership or lease of the site
- Site plan and layout of the unit
- Manufacturing process with a flow chart
- List of raw materials, products and quantities
Pollution details
- Water use and effluent quantity
- Details of the effluent treatment or disposal system
- Sources of air emissions, stacks and DG sets
- Hazardous or other waste generated, if any
About the business
- PAN and incorporation or registration certificate
- Authorisation for the person signing
- Project cost or capital investment details
- Udyam registration, for the MSME route
How it works
Pin down your category
We match your process and products against the current HSPCB red, orange, green and white lists. A white category unit only files an intimation.
File for Consent to Establish
We file the CTE application under the Water and Air Acts online, with the site plan, process details and pollution control plan, and pay the fee shown. Say you have leased a shed in a Faridabad industrial area for a food-processing unit. The CTE comes before the machines arrive, not after.
Build with the conditions in mind
The CTE carries conditions on treatment systems, stacks and outlets. We share a checklist so the civil and machinery work matches them, and line up the fire safety approval if the building needs one.
Apply for Consent to Operate
Once the unit and its pollution controls are ready, we file the CTO before trial or commercial production. For green units, HSPCB’s order asks for the application 90 days before the CTE’s validity ends.
Answer queries, then stay compliant
We reply to Board observations and track any inspection. After the CTO, lab reports and consent conditions go on your compliance calendar.
Timelines
Count four months for deemed consent
Under Section 25(7) of the Water Act, if the Board does not grant or refuse a complete application within four months, consent is deemed given.
Expect a green CTO in seven days
HSPCB’s order of 12 November 2025 provides for the green-category first CTO to be processed within 7 days of complete documents. The Board may inspect within 180 days after approval, and NABL lab reports are due within 90 days.
Check how long your CTO lasts
The Centre’s amended consent guidelines (28 January 2026) say a CTO, once granted, stays valid until cancelled, with states setting a one-time CTO fee for 5 to 25 years. Older CTOs show an expiry date; we check how HSPCB applies the change to yours.
What happens if you operate without consent
Face closure and a power cut
Section 33A of the Water Act and Section 31A of the Air Act let the Board direct closure, prohibition or regulation of an industry, and the stoppage of electricity, water or other services.
Pay up to ₹15 lakh under the Air Act
Since 1 April 2024, Section 37 of the Air Act, as amended by the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, provides a penalty of not less than ₹10,000, which may extend to ₹15 lakh.
Lose a self-declared CTO
A CTO granted on self-declaration can be revoked if the information turns out false or conditions are not met.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CTE and CTO?
Consent to Establish (CTE) is taken before you set up the unit; Consent to Operate (CTO) is taken before production starts. Both come from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981. CTE approves the site, process and pollution control plan. CTO confirms that the built unit meets those conditions. We plan both together, so the second stage goes smoothly.
Does a white category unit need HSPCB consent?
No CTO is needed for a white category unit; an intimation to the State Board is enough. This comes from the Central Pollution Control Board’s categorisation announced on 5 March 2016, where white units have a pollution index score of up to 20. The catch is confirming that your activity really is on the white list. We check it against the current HSPCB list before you rely on the exemption.
How do I know my category?
Your category depends on your industrial sector, as listed by the Board. Red is a pollution index score of 60 and above, orange 41 to 59, green 21 to 40 and white up to 20. HSPCB updates its lists; its order of 26 February 2024 added more sectors. Share your process and products with us and we will tell you the category and the route.
Where do I apply for HSPCB consent?
Applications are made online. HSPCB’s Online Consent Management & Monitoring System (OCMMS) handles CTE and CTO applications, and its page points applicants to the Invest Haryana single window at investharyana.in. The same system handles authorisations under waste rules. We file on your behalf and keep you updated at each step.
How long does HSPCB take to grant consent?
Under Section 25(7) of the Water Act, consent is deemed granted if the Board does not decide a complete application within four months. For green units, HSPCB’s order of 12 November 2025 provides for the first CTO within 7 days of complete documents. The central guidelines amended in January 2026 cut the time for red category units from 120 to 90 days.
Do I need to renew my consent to operate?
Under the Centre’s consent guidelines amended in January 2026, a CTO, once granted, stays valid until it is cancelled, and states set a one-time CTO fee covering 5 to 25 years. Older HSPCB consents were issued with an expiry date. We check what your consent says and how HSPCB is applying the new rule, so you are never caught running on a lapsed consent.
Can a small green unit get CTO on self-declaration?
Yes. HSPCB’s order of 12 November 2025 lets MSMEs in the green category get their first CTO on self-declaration, for applications from 15 November 2025. Large green units use an inspection-cum-audit report by a third party empanelled by the Board. You must confirm no change in raw material, process, products or pollution controls since CTE. We help you check this honestly before you sign.
What if I expand or change my product?
You need fresh consent before the change. Section 25 of the Water Act covers any extension or addition to an industry, and any new or altered outlet or new discharge. HSPCB’s green CTO order also asks you to confirm no increase in production or change in process. Tell us about the change early and we will file before the new line starts.
What is the penalty for running without consent?
Under Section 37 of the Air Act, as amended from 1 April 2024, the penalty is not less than ₹10,000 and may extend to ₹15 lakh. Separately, Section 31A of the Air Act and Section 33A of the Water Act let the Board order closure and stop electricity or water supply. Consent first costs far less than any of this, and we can start your file straight away.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
The consent fee is set by HSPCB and shown when the application is filed. Under the January 2026 central guidelines, states may fix a one-time CTO fee covering 5 to 25 years. We show you the exact Board amount before anything is paid.
Ready to begin?
Send us your process, products and site details, and we will confirm your HSPCB category and map out CTE and CTO.