SURAT: Industrial units of Pandesara have put in place a self regulatory mechanism to check pollution. Pandesara Industrial Association (PIA) has pressed two mobile pollution monitoring units into service to measure air pollution of individual units and provide expert help.
The mobile vans along with a technician and four helpers visit all the 117 industrial units affiliated to the association regularly. They check the chimneys and emission of different gases along with the suspended particulate matter (SPM). If the SPM is found to be more than the prescribed 150 mg, the unit is notified and asked to take corrective steps immediately. PIA has spent Rs 20 lakh for the two vans, equipment and man power. It has also set up a unit named Pandesara Infrastructure Limited to run its common effluent treatment plant (CETP).
KV Tulsiyan, president of PIA said, "We provide our findings to Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB). We have issued notices to 25 polluting units and all of them have taken immediate corrective steps."
He said that having an air pollution control monitoring system is in favor of the industry as it increases the efficiency of boilers and reduces the consumption of fuel. " We also catch those who burn illegal fuel," he said. Raghu Bindal of Ashoka Dying Industries said, "This regular monitoring keeps us on our toes and has increased awareness about pollution free industry."
G Patel, regional officer of GPCB at Surat said, " It is a good system and helps us get an idea about pollution levels in the area. Moreover, self watch by industry goes a long way in achieving our objective of a clean industry."
