CAT License

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✅ What is CAT License?

CAT License = Consent to Operate (CTO) / Consent Approval from Pollution Control Board

In India, many people informally call it “CAT License”, but the correct regulatory term is:

👉 Consent to Operate (CTO)
Issued under environmental laws by the State Pollution Control Board.

🏛 Authority

Issued by:

👉 Central Pollution Control Board (guidelines)
👉 State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) like:

• Haryana State Pollution Control Board
• Delhi Pollution Control Committee

📘 Legal Basis

CTO is granted under:

• Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

📊 Types of Consent (Important)

1️⃣ Consent to Establish (CTE)

• Required before starting construction/setup

2️⃣ Consent to Operate (CTO) → (CAT License)

• Required before starting production/operations

🏭 Who Needs CAT / CTO License?

Mandatory for:

• Manufacturing units
• Factories
• Hotels / restaurants (in some categories)
• Hospitals
• Dyeing / chemical units
• Any unit generating pollution (air/water/hazardous waste)

🎨 Industry Categories

Industries are classified into:

• 🔴 Red Category (High pollution)
• 🟠 Orange Category (Moderate)
• 🟢 Green Category (Low)
• ⚪ White Category (Minimal / exempt in some cases)

📂 Documents Required

• Company registration (GST, PAN, CIN)
• Land documents / rent agreement
• Layout plan of factory
• Machinery details
• Water & air pollution details
• Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) details (if applicable)
• Electricity bill
• Previous CTE (if applying for CTO)
• NOC from local authority

🔄 Process of CAT / CTO License

1. Online application on SPCB portal
2. Upload documents
3. Fee payment
4. Site inspection (if required)
5. Query / clarification
6. Approval & issuance of CTO

⏱️ Timeline

• Green category: 7–15 days
• Orange category: 15–30 days
• Red category: 30–60 days

💰 Government Fees (Approx.)

Depends on:

• Industry category
• Capital investment

👉 Range:

• ₹5,000 to ₹2,00,000+

📜 Validity

• Green: up to 10–15 years
• Orange: 5–10 years
• Red: 3–5 years

(Renewal required before expiry)

⚠️ Penalty for Non-Compliance

• Closure notice
• Heavy penalties
• Legal action under environmental laws

🌍 Benefits

✔ Legal compliance
✔ Avoid penalties & shutdown
✔ Required for factory license / ISO / tenders
✔ Improves environmental credibility

📌 Key Understanding

👉 “CAT License” is not an official legal term, but commonly refers to:

✔ Consent to Operate (CTO)
✔ Pollution NOC

✔ Final Summary

• CAT License = Consent to Operate (CTO)
• Issued by State Pollution Control Board
• Mandatory before running any industrial unit
• Based on pollution category