Gujarat Pollution Control Board has enabled online submission of various applications, reports, returns, and compliance documents through the XGN Portal. The circular states that it has been observed that Industries/Health Care Facilities (HCFs) are continuing to submit certain documents physically at Regional Offices and Head Office despite the availability of online submission facilities. The facility for online submission/uploading of documents related to various applications has already been made available in the XGN Portal under the respective application modules.

With immediate effect, physical submission of the following documents at any Regional Office or Head Office of the Board shall not be accepted and shall not be entertained for registered Industries/Health Care Facilities (HCFs), as the same has been facilitated under the menu of compliances & return after login at https://gpcbxgn.gujarat.gov.in/Dashboard/Returns:

1. Response against Notice of Entry issued during inspections.
2. Reply/Compliance against Show Cause Notices, Notices of Directions, Closure Directions and other directions issued by the Board.
3. Annual Return (Form-IV) under Hazardous and Other Waste Management Rules.
4. Annual Return under Biomedical Waste Rules.
5. Environmental Statement (Form-V).
6. Environmental Audit Reports.
7. Half-Yearly Reports, Annual Reports like Plastic Waste Return, Fly Ash Return and Half-yearly EC compliance report required under Consent/Authorization conditions.
8. Any other document/compliance/report (like HAZOP study report, Remediation plan, Various undertaking etc.) for which online submission facility has been provided in the XGN Portal.

Industries/HCFs are required to ensure timely uploading of the aforesaid documents through the XGN Portal within the stipulated time period. The date and time of successful online submission on the portal shall be treated as the official submission date for record and compliance purposes.

In exceptional cases where physical submission is specifically called for by the Board through a written communication, the concerned industry/unit shall comply accordingly. In cases where Industries/HCFs are required to submit the Bank Guarantee, the original copy of the same shall be submitted to Head Office registry Branch. Units which are not registered with Gujarat Pollution Control Board in the XGN Portal will be required to submit the documents at the respective office.