NAVI MUMBAI: Polluting industrial units or households as in slum pockets have been served a strong message. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has given a free hand to its regional officer, Anil Mohekar, to go ahead with cracking down on air, water and hazardous waste pollution in the city.
Member Secretary, P Anabalgan, who functions like a chief executive officer, communicated the decision of the apex green regulating authority in the state to Mohekar. This means Mohekar can take action first and send it for approval later.
Mohekar said, "I have decided to constitute a joint inspection team with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for a decisive bid by all stakeholders for fighting pollution. I will be communicating to the agency by letters."
As a first step the nullah stretch from Indira Nagar to Koparkhairane, which extends up to approximately 11 km will be under watch.
There will be four to five points for inspection. Mohekar confirmed presence of two parts per million (ppm) of hydrogen sulphide in the air near sector 11, Koparkhairane last week during the night vigil.
While the residents of the locality led by activist Saurabh Pandya have long complained of foul odour,
Mohekar attributed the gas and stench to waste discharged by the slum dwellers at Indira Nagar.
He said, "Two parts per million of hydrogen sulphide is less than the norm of three parts per million, but when the gas is more than one parts per million, there is foul odour (as in rotten eggs)."
Chairman of the newly constituted environment committee of the Navi Mumbai civic body, Divya Vaibhav Gaikwad, met Mohekar also expressed concern regarding the stench in the night air and strong action.
Mohekar has ordered a random two-day checking of night air by three squads. The night air samples from August 25 to the end of September showed sulphur and nitrogen dioxide to be less than ambient norm at 40 microgram, but nitrogen was more than sulphur.
The free hand given to regional officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Anil Mohekar, is on account of his actions taken to bring down the combined parameter of pollution called comprehensive environmental pollution index (CEPI) from a high of some 70 points to around 56; less than the ambient norm of 60. Mohekar said it was done under the guidance of the member secretary. He can now take action first and send it for approval later
