The Hindu : Other States / Haryana News : Steps to keep State pollution-free

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Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004

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Other States - Haryana

Steps to keep State pollution-free

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, AUG.24. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has adopted an industrial-friendly approach and decided to constitute a State- level Environmental Grievances Committee and a Regional Environmental Grievances Committee at the regional level to control pollution and keep the State clean and pollution-free, according to the Chairman, H.S.Bains.

He disclosed that the committees would include the president, general secretaries of Industrial Associations or Chambers and non-Governmental organisations operating in that area as their members. The Board had already displayed slogans on Haryana Roadways buses and would start this campaign again from September 1, 2004, he added.

The Board had also launched a mass awareness campaign to educate school children through Eco Clubs. The Government of India had financed 1,900 schools under Eco Club scheme and the remaining 750 schools were being covered and financed by it.

The Board had persuaded electroplating units for shifting from residential areas to approved industrial areas having common effluent treatment plants in Sector-58, Faridabad. As many as 150 units had already been shifted and 100 units were in the process. The number of pollution control measures installed in the industries had also increased from 1,765 to 5,460 during the last three years. The pollution being caused in the Yamuna river had also been brought under control, he claimed.

Mr.Bains said that the Board had adopted a pro-active approach for the convenience of the industry and had done away with the sampling as a prerequisite for grant of consent to the units which had applied before March 31 last. Now, the Board was holding camps to solve the problems of industrialists at their doorsteps and to grant consent to the units under the extension scheme for the next year.

He further disclosed that the Board had prepared an action plan for improvement of ambient air quality in Faridabad town by checking vehicular, industrial and other kind of pollution.The Government had constituted two task forces under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary and the Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad to supervise, monitor, coordinate and report on the progress of implementation of the action plan.

Outlining the strategy to check vehicular pollution, he said that Bharat-II norms had already been implemented and Bharat-III norms would be implemented by April 2005 in the city. He said that Euro-IV norms would also be introduced to check the vehicular pollution.

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