New Delhi: The Government has introduced a new framework to identify and manage contaminated sites across India. The Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025, notified on 24 July 2025, aim to ensure systematic detection, assessment, and remediation of such areas.
The new rules provide a clear process for identification, determination, and cleanup of contaminated sites. They define a contaminated site as any area where pollutants exceed prescribed thresholds after detailed site assessment, as declared by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) or Pollution Control Committee (PCC).
Multi-Tier Assessment Framework
Under the rules, local bodies or district administrations must identify suspected contaminated sites either on their own or upon receiving complaints from the public. These sites must be listed on a centralized online portal.
Once a suspected site is listed, the SPCB or PCC must conduct a preliminary site assessment within 90 days, using sampling and analysis. If contamination is above prescribed screening levels, the site is categorized as a probable contaminated site.
A detailed site assessment must follow within three months, covering the entire geographical area. If pollutants exceed response levels, the site is declared contaminated.
Transparency and Public Consultation
SPCBs and PCCs are required to publish the list of contaminated sites on the centralized portal within 60 days, inviting stakeholder feedback. After reviewing comments, they must finalize the list and issue a public notice in two local newspapers. These notices will also specify safety precautions for residents.
Once a site is confirmed, the responsible party must prepare a remediation plan within six months, secure approval from the SPCB or PCC, and begin cleanup. Regular progress reports must be submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state agencies.
Responsibility for Orphan Sites
For orphan sites or locations under bank or judicial possession, the SPCB or PCC will prepare and implement remediation plans. Costs will be shared between the Central and State Governments as per prescribed ratios.
Contaminated Sites Identified Nationwide
CPCB has identified 103 contaminated sites across India, with remediation already underway at seven sites:
- Mercury-contaminated site at Ganjam, Odisha
- Chromium-contaminated site at Rania, Kanpur Dehat, Uttar Pradesh
- Groundwater contamination at Lohia Nagar and Industrial Area, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
- Mercury-contaminated soil at Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
- BPCL oil-contaminated site at Tondairpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Groundwater contamination at Godavari Bio-Refineries, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
- Groundwater contamination at Effluent Channel Project (ECP), Vadodara, Gujarat
This information was shared by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
