Press Release

The environmental agency leaders of thirteen Asian countries established a network – the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN) at Manila, Philippines in August 2005, dedicated towards promotion of improved environmental compliance and enforcement in the region. At present, the AECEN members include national or sub-national environmental agencies from India, Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Besides these members, various international development agencies like USEPA, USAID, World Bank, OECD and ADB collaborate with the AECEN.

In the meeting of the Regional Forum of AECEN held at Beijing, China during December, 2007 it was proposed that an Environmental Compliance Assistance Centre (ECAC) may be established in West Bengal. The centre that is being launched today, is the first of its kind in the country and it has been set up in collaboration with the (i) Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal, (ii) West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) and the (iii) AECEN. During recent years, West Bengal has become a favoured destination for investment in knowledge based industries, service sector, infrastructure sector as also the core industries including small and medium scale industries. Considering the strength of the environmental regulatory regime in place and the importance attached by the State Government towards environmental compliance, it is felt that the ECAC will be of immense help to the new as well as existing entrepreneurs in the state for accessing all environment compliance related information.

The primary ECAC functions comprise of (a) collecting and disseminating information to apprise industry of environmental policies, strategies, programs, acts, regulations, standards and best practices; (b) catalyzing technical assistance to help industry analyze and evaluate technology options and access funding opportunities; and (c) organizing training programs to develop enhanced industry capacity to introduce innovative technologies demonstrating cost efficiency and environmental benefits, to conduct self monitoring, and to mainstream environmental issues into corporate practices. Compliance Assistance Centres of this kind are already successfully operating not only in industrially developed country like USA but also in Asian countries like Thailand and Philippines.

The first Workshop in this connection titled “Workshop for Developing Environmental Compliance Assistance Capabilities - Sharing International Experience in Establishing an ECAC for West Bengal” was organized by the Department of Environment and the WBPCB with financial and logistic support from AECEN Secretariat and World Bank on 29.04.2008 at the Hotel Oberoi Grand, Kolkata. The workshop was attended by representatives from Department of Environment, WBIDC, CPCB, WBPCB, ICC, BCCI, CII, Indian Chemical Council, US ECAC, Thailand ECAC, Philippines ECAC, World Bank, AECEN, academicians and others. Two key sectors were identified during the course of the workshop for priority focus by the ECAC – the areas are – (i) sponge iron sector & (ii) chemicals & petrochemicals sector including the downstream SMEs. In May 2008, a Steering Committee was constituted by the Dept. of Environment, Govt. of West Bengal for looking after the modalities of the ECAC. The first meeting of the Steering Committee was held in July 2008. A meeting involving the key strategic partners (ICC, FOSMI, BCCI, Industry Institute Partnership Cell, Jadavpur University, Bengal Engineering Science University, Shibpur and IISWBM) was subsequently held in September 2008. The purpose of this meeting was to identify specific assistance and support expected from the ECAC strategic partners in meeting the objectives of the Centre. In March 2009, the WBPCB in partnership with AECEN organized a one day consultation workshop with the stakeholders in the sponge iron sector at Durgapur to discuss challenges for compliance in the sponge iron sector. The workshop also focused on related suppliers, comprehensive database of legal requirements for sponge iron sector and the Centre’s draft website.

On the basis of the outcome of the workshop, the centre has already decided to launch a few technology development programs for finding a cleaner option for sponge iron units in the state of West Bengal with the help of eminent scientists and technologists. A Technical Expert Committee has been constituted involving eminent personalities from relevant field for guiding the ECAC activities. Several meetings of the Expert Technical Committee were convened at frequent intervals to guide the process of development and evolution of the centre and its website. WBPCB and AECEN also co-organized consultation meetings in Kolkata to finalize the Centre structure and prepare for launching of the ECAC Website. Representatives from one of the U.S. compliance assistance centre and a compliance assistance centre of the Philippines were present during the meetings to provide technical assistance and guidance to WBPCB, based on their knowledge and best practices. In addition, they shared their experiences in designing, implementing and operating compliance assistance centres for both virtual and physical centres in their respective countries.

Today, as we formally launch the ECAC website and inaugurate the Centre, we sincerely hope that the ECAC will soon evolve as an independent agency shepherding the Indian industry towards improved environmental performance by not only stretching beyond mandatory regulatory compliance but also by helping the entrepreneurs to achieve other voluntary national and international standards. The website is still in its nascent stage as it is the first of its kind in the country and it will be gradually developed from the experiences gleaned during running of the centre. We look forward to identify strategies, through the activities of the centre, to strengthen existing plans for growth of the centre ensuring its sustainability overtime. We also look forward to establish national and international linkages with agencies and associations in the U.S. and Asia for sharing of industrial best practices and models of successfully operating compliance assistance centres.