Panel chalks out plans to curb pollution.

The Indian Express , Monday, February 01, 2010
Correspondent :
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has launched a series of short-term plans as well as long-term surveys to curb contamination in critically polluted regions of Maharashtra, including Dombivali and Navi Mumbai. This follows a study by the Central government which calculated a Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) for 88 key industrial clusters in India.

The study, conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board and the IIT, Delhi, showed that industrial hubs like Chandrapur, Dombavili, Navi Mumbai and Tarapur in Maharashtra recorded alarming levels of pollutants in the air, water and land, exceeding a total CEPI level of 70.

The Centre has named these regions as ‘critically polluted industrial clusters/areas’ and has recommended temporary restrictions on consideration of developmental projects in these regions. A week back, MPCB officials stated that in the critically polluted Dombivali and Navi Mumbai, the plan would include a check on the types of fuels used in the industries. “Low quality coal and coke (a petrochemical by-product) contributes to a great deal of air pollution in these areas. These industries will be asked to switch to consented fuel. We are also studying the feasibility of providing piped natural gas to industries in Dombivali,” said Mahesh Pathak, MPCB member secretary.

To cleanse the air, the state will also consider installation of scrubbers, a control device that uses liquid to remove unwanted pollutants and gases from industrial exhaust streams before returning it to the atmosphere. For water purification, an expansion of the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) in proportion with the quality and quantity of water effluents being released in these areas, is being considered, MPCB officials said. Pathak pointed out that while these are all short term measures, long term studies have been planned to understand vehicular pollution as well as land pollution in the regions. “For example, in some areas of Navi Mumbai, Chembur and Dombivali, toxins have been present in the soil for years owing to earlier land-fillings.”

Meanwhile, Dilip Salwekar, general secretary of the Thane Manufacturers Association, said, “We already know that certain industrial and chemical belts in the Konkan area is polluted. Nobody likes to work in a highly polluted environment, but several livelihoods depend on industries. The government should take some concrete steps in giving us an infrastructure that can curb pollution before we are penalised.”

 
SOURCE : http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Panel-chalks-out-plans-to-curb-pollution/573953
 


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