NEW DELHI: Revealing glaring lapses in the performance of the Railways in managing environment risks, a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report has found that no comprehensive environmental guidelines had been laid down by the public sector giant for handling and transporting bulk commodities, which are pollution intensive.
The PAC Report titled ‘Environment Management in Indian Railways - Stations, Tracks and Trains’ which was tabled in Parliament, expressed its serious displeasure “over no concrete action” taken by Railways to integrate environmental concerns with their development and operational policies, despite agreeing to comply with the same.
The panel directed the ministry to initiate the requisite and urgent measures, so as to effectively address the ever growing menace of environmental pollution.
For instance, the PAC found that there was no system for segregation of bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste at any railway station. Also, in what could be a major impediment to Narendra Modi’s Clean India Mission, especially in the Railway sector, the PAC found that in 64 per cent (135) of the 212 Railway stations test checked in audit, there was no centralised dumping yard available, resulting in littering near station premises and along the tracks.
The Committee also expressed concern that despite two decades of experimentation, Railways was yet to finalise the technology for ‘green toilets’.
The ministry is planning to eliminate the production of all types of passenger coaches with direct discharge toilet system by 2016-17 and to eliminate the entire fleet of coaches by 2012-22.
Impressing upon the ministry to formulate a comprehensive and more reliable environment policy, for controlling air pollution at the stations, yards and workplace, the Committee slammed the Railway Board for not having come out with any comprehensive guidelines, specifically for handling and transporting pollution intensive commodities like coal, iron ore, cement, fertilisers and petroleum.
