The global push to ease industrial norms has recently extended to one of the most visible symbols of environmental responsibility — green cover within industrial estates and individual industries. The growing trend of reducing green-cover requirements for industrial estates, units within estates, and standalone industries is often celebrated as a step toward “ease of doing business”. However, the rationale for such relaxation — frequently based on international examples where minimum plantation norms appear lower — often lacks ecological context. While these relaxations may simplify compliance and enhance land-use efficiency, they raise a critical question. Are we mistaking convenience for sustainability?

While industrial development inevitably entails ecological alteration, including the

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