Team Goemkarponn
DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has introduced a revised framework for classifying hotels and resorts based on their pollution potential, with the latest norms taking into account both the size of the establishment and the use of environmentally friendly technologies.
Under the updated classification, hotels and resorts with more than 300 rooms will continue to be placed in the Red category, reflecting the highest pollution potential with a Pollution Index (PI) of 81.25.
However, large hotels that operate their kitchens using cleaner or gaseous fuels will now be eligible for classification under the Orange category, reducing their Pollution Index to 79.4, provided they meet the environmental conditions laid down by the Board.
Hotels with 101 to 300 rooms will remain in the Orange category with a PI of 71.5, while those having 21 to 100 rooms will also continue in the same category with a PI of 73.8.
The revised norms offer a major incentive to medium-sized hotels adopting cleaner technologies. Hotels with 21 to 100 rooms that use cleaner or gas-based fuel systems will now be placed in the Green category, with their Pollution Index reduced to 50.5.
To qualify for the lower pollution category, establishments must comply with several environmental measures. These include operating CPCB-approved or fully gas-based generator sets, using electricity- or gas-powered boilers, installing oil and grease separation systems for kitchen wastewater, and ensuring sewage is treated through dedicated sewage treatment plants (STPs) or other approved treatment facilities suited to the property’s capacity.
The CPCB has instructed all State Pollution Control Boards to implement the revised classification system without delay. The move is aimed at encouraging the hospitality sector to adopt cleaner technologies while improving environmental compliance and reducing pollution from commercial establishments.
