Guidelines for Poultry farms were developed in the year 2015, which was applicable to poultry farms handling above 1.0 lac birds. As per CPCB classification of industrial sectors, ‘Poultry, Hatchery and Piggery’ are categorized into ‘Green’. In the matter of O.A. No. 681 of 2017, Hon’ble NGT, passed the following order on 16th September, 2020: "Accordingly we allow this application and direct CPCB to revisit the guidelines for categorizing the poultry farms as Green category and exempting their regulation under Air, Water & EP Act. CPCB may issue fresh appropriate orders within three months and in if no further order is issued, all the State PCBs/PCCs will require enforcement of consent mechanism under the above acts after 01.01.2021 for all Poultry Farms above 5000 birds in the same manner as is being done for farms having more than one lac birds. Till then, even without such consent mechanism, the state PCBs/PCCs may strictly enforce the environmental norms and take appropriate remedial action against the any violation of water, air and soil standards statutorily laid down.” Subsequent to the aforesaid order, Hon'ble NGT (PB) in the matter of O.A. No. 320/2021 (Gauri Maulekhi Vs. Union of India &Ors) passed the following order on 10.12.2021: "Accordingly, we direct that while the impugned guidelines be immediately enforced, all poultry farms above 5000 birds will also be covered by the said guidelines latest from 1.1.2023. The siting criteria should apply to all consents/renewals hereafter for the above size of the poultry farms. CPCB may issue revised guidelines to all the State PCBs/PCCs in terms of the above order within one month.”
[2]