Controlling environmental pollution government’s top priority

LUCKNOW: Calling for public participation in its drive to reduce pollution, Union environment ministry said on Tuesday it was committed to taking steps to control pollution. Speaking about the measures taken to monitor pollution, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has started receiving online data on status of compliance on the discharge of effluents and emissions by the industry. Javadekar also said out of 2, 800 industries, more than 920 industries have installed 24x7 monitoring devices to monitor emissions and effluents. He also said another 400 industrial units have moved towards ensuring Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).

Emphasising that cleaning Ganga is top priority, Javdekar said there are 630 industries, including 440 tanneries of a highly polluting nature along the stem of river Ganga. The effluents of the tanneries are treated at three major CETPs at Kanpur, Banthar and Unnao. Out of the remaining 190 units, 110 units have moved towards compliance. A complete upgradation of these CETPs has been planned to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge. He said the Centre extends 50% subsidy to these CETPs and the remaining amount is met by the State Government and the industry. Directions have been issued for closure of some non-complying polluting units. The minister said 64 units had been closed down last year, out of which 24 units were allowed to resume operations after they set up the requisite system.

A pilot phase for sending an SMS alert to polluting units that cross prescribed levels for more than 15 minutes, has been started. State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) have also been asked to gear up to handle sets of data that will be required to be analysed on a real-time basis.

Javadekar also invited suggestions from the public on a set of four Draft Waste Management Rules, 2015; the draft Solid Waste Management Rules, 2015, draft Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2015, draft E-Waste Management Rules, 2015, and the draft Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2015. These draft waste management rules, he said, have been made available online on the ministry’s websites for comments. The Government has also invited suggestions from the public on the draft Fly Ash Utilisation Amendment Notification, 2015.