Port Blair: In a major push toward ease of doing business and digital governance, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have officially transitioned to a unified online system for all environmental clearances. The Unified Consent and Authorisation Management System (UCAMS) Portal was officially launched for the Union Territory on Friday by the Member Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC)-cum-Director (Science & Technology).
Developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in New Delhi, this newly minted digital platform is designed for the online processing and grant of Consent to Establish (CTE), Consent to Operate (CTO), and various vital environmental authorisations. This significant upgrade follows recent national mandates issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Through Gazette Notifications issued in January 2025 regarding the Control of Water and Air Pollution Guidelines, the Ministry directed the CPCB to collaborate with State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees to build a single, streamlined national network. By integrating Andaman and Nicobar into this unified framework, the system brings local operations under the modern provisions of the Water Act of 1974, the Air Act of 1981, and the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, replacing fragmented paperwork with a transparent and trackable digital workflow.
With the portal now fully operational, a new mandate has taken effect for the local business community. All industrial units, project proponents, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders are hereby informed that, henceforth, all applications for the grant or renewal of CTE, CTO, and various other environmental authorisations must be submitted exclusively online through the UCAMS website. Bureaucratic physical submissions are being phased out in favor of this faster mechanism, and all concerned stakeholders are requested to immediately register and submit their applications via the official portal at https://ucams.cpcb.gov.in to ensure seamless and timely processing.
