On July 24, 2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified the Environment (Protection) Rules for Management of Contaminated Sites, 2025 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These rules mark a significant step in India’s environmental governance, aiming to identify, assess, remediate, and monitor contaminated sites posing risks to human health and the environment.
The rules establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for:
Identification and classification of contaminated, potentially contaminated, and suspected sites;
Development of risk-based remedial action plans;
Liability provisions for responsible parties;
Public consultation, monitoring, and the use of a centralised online portal for data and progress tracking.
Key provisions include:
Formation of State- and Central-level monitoring committees;
Specific guidelines for voluntary remediation and management of orphan sites (where the responsible party is unknown);
Establishment of environmental damage compensation mechanisms;
Institutional role for State Pollution Control Boards and Central Pollution Control Board in enforcement;
Financial sharing formulae between Centre and States for site assessment and remediation.
The rules, notified via Gazette Notification No. GSR 3401(E), are now in force and are expected to drive large-scale clean-up of legacy pollution sites and prevent future environmental damage through structured accountability.
