Jaipur: Small hotels around Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) and other tourist destinations in Alwar district are expected to receive a significant boost after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revised its pollution classification for the hospitality sector.Under the new norms, hotels with up to 20 rooms have been placed in the White Category, exempting them from obtaining Consent to Operate (CTO) from the Pollution Control Board and substantially reducing compliance requirements.A senior official said, “The CPCB has revised the classification based on environmental risk and wastewater generation. Hotels with 21 to 100 rooms will continue in the green category, those with 101 to 300 rooms will fall under the orange category, while only hotels with more than 300 rooms will now be classified as red.
Earlier, the red category applied to hotels with more than 100 rooms.”The relaxation is expected to benefit a large section of Alwar’s hospitality industry, which is dominated by small hotels, boutique resorts, and family-run properties catering to wildlife tourists, weekend travellers, and destination weddings.A stakeholder said, “The district has around 200 hotels, of which nearly 100 to 125 have 20 rooms or fewer. These establishments, located around Sariska, Alwar city, Siliserh, Neemrana, Tijara, and nearby tourism hubs, are likely to see lower compliance costs and quicker operational approvals under the revised framework.”The move comes at a time when tourism in Alwar is witnessing steady growth, driven by increasing footfall to Sariska Tiger Reserve, heritage attractions, lakes, and weekend getaways from Delhi-NCR and Jaipur. ”Demand for boutique accommodation, eco-lodges, safari camps, and homestays has also risen in recent years as travellers increasingly seek nature-based and experiential tourism,” added Karan Singh, a hotel owner.However, the move has not gone down well with environmental activists, who argue that exempting hotels with up to 20 rooms from pollution clearances could weaken environmental oversight in ecologically sensitive areas.“A 20-room hotel is not a small establishment in terms of environmental footprint. Such properties generate considerable wastewater and solid waste, particularly around protected landscapes like Sariska. Exempting them from regulatory scrutiny may come at the cost of fragile ecosystems,” said Tapeshwar Singh environmental activist and lawyer.
