An environmental audit answers one question: can this plant demonstrate, with records, that it operates inside the conditions of its consents? Most non-compliance found in Indian plants is not gross pollution — it is missing monitoring data, lapsed authorisations and unfiled returns.
Start with the consent file
Read the Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate line by line. Each condition — production capacity, stack height, effluent limits, water drawal, waste quantities, greenbelt area — is an auditable commitment.
Monitoring that satisfies the board
- Stack emissions at prescribed frequency by a NABL / MoEFCC-recognised laboratory
- Ambient air at boundary locations chosen for wind direction
- Effluent at inlet and outlet of the ETP, with flow meter records
- Ground water piezometer sampling where required by the consent
- Day and night noise levels at the boundary and DG set enclosures
Waste streams and manifests
Hazardous waste needs authorisation, categorised storage with impervious flooring and secondary containment, manifest documents for every dispatch to an authorised TSDF or recycler, and an annual return. Battery, plastic, e-waste and used oil each carry their own EPR obligations.
Returns and statements
The Form V environmental statement is due annually. Hazardous waste, battery waste and e-waste returns run on their own calendars. An audit should produce a single compliance calendar with owners and dates.
Linking environment to worker health
Environmental monitoring data and occupational health data belong in one review. A spike in ETP inlet solvent load, an increase in workplace VOC readings and a cluster of headache complaints in the same shop are three views of a single problem.
Frequently asked questions
- Who must file the Form V environmental statement?
- Every unit required to obtain consent under the Water and Air Acts or authorisation under the Hazardous Waste Rules, filed annually with the State Pollution Control Board.
- How often should an environmental audit be done?
- Annually before the environmental statement filing, and additionally before consent renewal or a major process change.
Talk to our occupational health and safety team
Health Safety India by Jainam Wellness Ltd. — onsite OHCs, safety audits, safety training, ambulances, fire safety and environmental audits across PAN India. Call +91 9820891087 / 8104165150 or write to info@healthsafetyindia.com.
Related reading
Environmental factors influencing workman health in India
Read Safety AuditSafety audit of a factory under IS 14489: scope, method and closure
Read Occupational HealthHow to set up an Occupational Health Centre (OHC) in an Indian factory
Read Occupational HealthPre-employment, periodic and exit medical examinations: the complete protocol
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