Executive Summary:
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3541 regarding violations of environmental norms by petrol pumps, to be answered on August 11, 2025. It outlines the procedure for setting up retail outlets (ROs) by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), environmental compliance guidelines, and audit requirements. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas provides information on NOCs and CPCB guidelines.
Key Points / Main Content:
Retail Outlet (RO) Setup and NOC:
* ROs are set up after obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and the District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police.
* The District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police issues the NOC after clearances from various departments, including Revenue, Police, Municipal Corporation/Gram Panchayat, National Highways Authority of India/Public Works Department, and Fire Department.
CPCB Guidelines:
* The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued guidelines for setting up new petrol pumps on January 7, 2020, and an addendum on August 16, 2021, prescribing pollution prevention and control measures and siting criteria.
* State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) must ensure strict adherence to the CPCB guidelines.
Groundwater and Soil Quality Monitoring:
* Petrol pumps selling more than 300 KL/month and located in cities with a population over 10 lakh must conduct groundwater and soil quality monitoring tests every two years through authorized laboratories.
* Fuel retail outlets within 100 meters of surface water bodies must conduct groundwater and soil quality monitoring tests annually through authorized laboratories.
* Monitoring reports must be submitted to SPCBs/PCCs.
PESO Audit:
* PESO shall conduct annual audits of tanks, fuel equipment (including pipes), overfill protection equipment, and alarm systems and maintain records.
Enforcement:
* Two ROs of OMCs have been closed in the last 5 years in compliance with orders from the National Green Tribunal.
Impact Analysis:
Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs):
* Impact: Must adhere to NOC requirements, CPCB guidelines, and monitoring requirements for groundwater and soil quality. They must also comply with PESO audit requirements.
* Action Required: Implement pollution prevention and control measures, conduct regular monitoring, submit reports to SPCBs/PCCs, and cooperate with PESO audits.
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO):
* Impact: Responsible for conducting annual audits of tanks and fuel equipment.
* Action Required: Conduct annual audits and maintain records.
State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs):
* Impact: Responsible for ensuring adherence to CPCB guidelines.
* Action Required: Enforce CPCB guidelines and review monitoring reports submitted by OMCs.
District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police:
* Impact: Responsible for issuing NOCs for setting up ROs.
* Action Required: Issue NOCs after obtaining clearances from relevant departments.
Key Entities Referenced
Central Pollution Control Board: A statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, responsible for pollution control.
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation: An organization responsible for regulating safety in the petroleum and explosives sector.
Oil Marketing Companies: Companies involved in the marketing and distribution of petroleum products.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The ministry responsible for environmental protection and climate change policies.
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: The ministry responsible for policies related to petroleum and natural gas.
Environment Protection Act, 1986: An act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1986.
National Green Tribunal: A tribunal established for the effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
National Highways Authority of India: An autonomous agency of the Government of India, responsible for management of a network of National Highways in India.
OIH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3541
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
Violation of Environmental Norms
3541. SHRI LAXMIKANT PAPPU NISHAD:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the number of petrol pumps inspected by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) along with the number of petrol
pumps found violating the norms;
(b) whether any independent or Government audit of environmental compliance of retail outlets
(petrol pumps) set up by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) has been conducted during the
last five years;
(c) whether the Government is implementing any policy to place the audit report of all petrol
pumps in public domain; and
(d) the number of retail outlets set up without environmental clearance or in violation of rules
during the last five years along with the action taken against them in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (d):
As informed by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Retail Outlets (ROs) of Oil
Marketing Companies (OMCs) are set-up after getting No Objection Certificate (NOC) from
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and District Magistrate or Commissioner
of Police, as per the location of the proposed RO. The NOC is issued by District Magistrate or
Commissioner of Police after getting clearance as applicable from various Departments detailed
below:
(i) comments from the Revenue Department on the issue, regarding the possession of the site
by the applicant is lawful and there is an authorisation from the land owner or leaseholder
for developing premises under these rules for storage of petroleum products;.
(ii) comments from the Police Department regarding traffic density and impact on traffic;
(iii) comments from the concerned Municipal Corporation or Gram Panchayat or local area
development authority as applicable, regarding the conformity of proposal to the localarea development planning including schools, hospitals and mitigating measure, if any, is
provided;
(iv) comments from the National Highways Authority of India or Public Works Department
or any other authority concerned regarding road safety, road alignment and road access
conformity;
(v) comments from the Fire Department regarding accessibility of the site to the fire tenders
in case of emergency and preparedness of fire services for combating the emergencies.
In addition, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued “Guidelines for setting up of
new petrol pumps” dated 07.01.2020 and addendum dated 16.08.2021 which prescribe various
pollution prevention and control measures besides siting criteria for setting up of new petrol
pumps. Further, State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs)
have been directed to ensure strict adherence to the CPCB guidelines.
As per aforementioned guidelines, ground water and soil quality monitoring test will be
conducted for those petrol pumps, that are selling more than 300 KL/month and set up in cities
with population more than 10 lakh population by OMCs once in two years through the
laboratories authorised under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. In case of fuel retail outlets
which are located within 100 meter from the nearest point of surface water bodies, the ground
water and soil quality monitoring test near the premises of such petrol pumps shall be conducted
by OMCs once in a year through laboratories authorised under Environment (Protection) Act,
1986 or laboratories with national/international accreditation. The monitoring reports are
submitted to SPCBs/PCCs.
As per the aforesaid guidelines, Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) shall
conduct audit of tanks and fuel equipments including pipes, overfill protection equipment and
alarm system on annual basis and maintain records.
During the last 5 years, two ROs of OMCs have been closed in compliance with the order of
Hon’ble National Green Tribunal.
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