Solan, April 27

Even as the State Pollution Control Board has been collecting funds worth crores from investors, it has failed to use these funds to set up any environmental infrastructure in the industrial areas.

Figures available from the board revealed that Rs 27.72 crore was collected in 2010-2011 from 10 industrial areas as consent fee. Out of this, Rs 10.74 crore was collected from the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) area alone. A sum of Rs 3.76 crore, Rs 2.62 crore, Rs 3.29 crore, Rs 1.48 crore were collected from Paonta Sahib, Parwanoo, Una and Shimla districts. The board was merely earning interest on these funds.

As per the provisions of the Air Act 1981, and the Water Act 1974, this fund is supposed to be utilised for controlling water and air pollution.

Though a study conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board in association with IIT Delhi to work out the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) had declared the three industrial areas of the state as critically polluted in 2008, little appears to be done to improve these ratings. The CEPI was found to be 69.07 (Baddi), 68.77 (Kala Amb) and 63.77(Parwanoo).

Board member secretary SK Singla said they would explore the possibility of setting up GPS systems for online monitoring of the dumping sites and funds would be spent to put in place infrastructure for better pollution management.

Though a Rs70 crore centrally funded Common Effluent Treatment Plant is being set up for the Baddi-Barotiwala area, a similar plant is also required for the Nalagarh area which is vulnerable to pollution. The board can contribute to the setting up of this plant.