**Policy Summary: Environment Protection Third Amendment Rules, 2025**
This notification, G.S.R. 446(E), issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, amends the Environment Protection Rules, 1986. Published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Subsection (i), No. 403, on July 3, 2025 (Ashadha 12, 1947), the amendment is titled the "Environment Protection Third Amendment Rules, 2025" and takes effect on the date of its publication. The amendment modifies Schedule I of the Environment Protection Rules, 1986, specifically regarding serial number 5A, column 4. It introduces a proviso allowing the Ministry, in consultation with the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Pollution Control Board, to grant exemptions to thermal power plants from the mandatory installation of Cooling Towers, based on documented reasons. This decision is made under the authority granted by sections 6 and 25 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 (29 of 1986). The notification references the prior publication of draft rules on February 7, 2025, via notification G.S.R. 121(E), and confirms that all received objections and suggestions were duly considered. The responsible officer is Joint Secretary, Neelesh Kumar Sah.
Key Entities Referenced
Environment Protection Rules, 1986: A set of rules framed under the Environment Protection Act to protect the environment.
Environment Protection Act, 1986: An act of the Parliament of India to protect and improve the environment and prevent hazards to human beings, other living creatures, plants and property.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: A ministry of the Government of India.
New Delhi: The location of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India
Central Government: The executive branch of the Government of India.
Central Electricity Authority: A statutory body constituted under the Electricity Act, 2003.
Central Pollution Control Board: A statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Environment Protection Third Amendment Rules, 2025: Amendments to the Environment Protection Rules, 1986
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-05072025-264404
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 403] नई दिल्ली, बृहस्ट्प जतवार, िुलाई 3, 2025/आषाढ़ 12, 1947
No. 403] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2025/ASHADHA 12, 1947
पर्ावा रण, वन एव ं िलवार् ु पररवतना मत्रं ालर्
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल् ली, 3 िुलाई, 2025
सा.का.जन. 446(अ).— पर्ाावरण (संरक्षण) जनर्म, 1986 का संिोधन करने के जलए कजतपर् जनर्मों का
प्रारूप, पर्ाावरण (सरं क्षण) अजधजनर्म, 1986 की धारा 6 और धारा 25 के अधीन अपेक्षानुसार, भारत सरकार के पर्ाावरण,
वन और िलवार्ु पररवतान मंत्रालर् की अजधसूचना संखर्ांक सा.का.जन. 121(अ), तारीख 7 फरवरी, 2025 द्वारा प्रकाजित
दकर्ा गर्ा था, जिसम ें सभी व् र्जत र्ों से, जिनके उसके द्वारा प्रभाजवत होने की संभावना थी, आक्षेप और सुझाव आमंजत्रत
दकए गए थे और र्ह सूचना िी गई थी दक उक्त प्रारूप पर, रािपत्र में प्रकािन की तारीख स े साठ दिन की समाजि पर र्ा
उसके पश्चात् जवचार दकर्ा िाएगा;
और, पूवोत अजधसूचना के प्रजतउत् तर म ें सभी व् र्जत र्ों और पणधाररर्ों स े प्राप् त आक्षेपों और सुझावों पर केंद्रीर्
सरकार द्वारा सम् र्क् रुप स ेजवचार दकर्ा गर्ा;
अतः, अब, केंद्रीर् सरकार, पर्ावा रण (संरक्षण) अजधजनर्म, 1986 (1986 का 29) की धारा 6 और धारा 25 द्वारा
प्रित्त िजक्तर्ों का प्रर्ोग करते हुए, पर्ाावरण (सरं क्षण) जनर्म, 1986 का और संिोधन करन े के जलए जनम्नजलजखत जनर्म
बनाती ह,ै अथाात:् -
4410 GI/2025 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
1. सजं क्षि नाम और प्रारंभ.- (1) इन जनर्मों का संजक्षि नाम पर्ाावरण (सरं क्षण) तीसरा संिोधन जनर्म, 2025 ह।ै
(2) र् ेरािपत्र में इनके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रवृत्त होंगे।
2. पर्ाावरण (संरक्षण) जनर्म, 1986 की अनुसूची-I में क्रम सखं र्ा 5क के सामने, स्ट्तम्भ 4 म,ें मि II के पश्चात्, जनम्नजलजखत
परंतुक अंतःस्ट्थाजपत दकर्ा िाएगा, अथाता ्:-
“परंत ुमंत्रालर्, केंद्रीर् जवद्युत प्राजधकरण और केंद्रीर् प्रिषू ण जनर्ंत्रण बोडा के परामिा स,े दकसी आिेि द्वारा, उन कारणों को
लेखबद्ध करत े हुए िो अजभजलजखत दकए िाएं, तापीर् जवद्युतीर् संर्ंत्रों को कुललंग टावरों की स्ट्थापना स ेछूट िे सकेगा”।
[फा. सं. र्-ू 15017/40/2007-सीपीडब्लल्र् ू(भाग)]
नीलेि कुमार साह, संर्ुक्त सजचव
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 3rd July, 2025
G.S.R. 446(E).—Whereas, the draft of certain rules to amend the Environment (Protection)
Rules, 1986 was published as required under sections 6 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act,1986,
vide notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
number G.S.R. 121(E), dated the 7th February, 2025, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons
likely to be affected thereby and notice was given that the said draft shall be taken into consideration on or
after expiry of sixty days from the date of publication in the official Gazette;
And Whereas, objections and suggestions received from all persons and stakeholders in response to
the aforesaid notification have been duly considered by the Central Government;
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6 and 25 of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to further
amend the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, namely: -
1. Short title and commencement.—(1) These rules may be called the Environment (Protection) Third
Amendment Rules, 2025.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, in Schedule - I, against serial number 5A, in column 4, after
item II, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: -
“Provided that the Ministry may, in consultation with the Central Electricity Authority and the Central
Pollution Control Board, for reasons to be recorded in writing by an order grant exemption to thermal power
plants from installation of Cooling Towers”.
[F. No. Q-15017/40/2007-CPW (part)]
NEELESH KUMAR SAH, Jt. Secy.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.