Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Plan to curb industrial pollution

Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar

Topical issue: Industries Minister Elamaram Karim at the inauguration of a seminar on climate change in the city on Friday.

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for Industries Elamaram Karim said here on Friday that the government was planning to introduce a system for effective monitoring of industrial pollution in Kerala.

Speaking after inaugurating a national seminar on global warming and climate change organised by the All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation, he said moves were on to implement recommendations of the two committees set up by the government to assess pollution in the two industrial belts at Eloor in Ernakulam district and Kanhikode in Palakkad.

The Pollution Control Board has been directed to ensure that industries comply with emission norms.

Citing the example of the Travancore Cochin Chemicals, which had achieved zero per cent pollution, the Minister said other industrial units would be encouraged to establish effluent treatment plants and other pollution control methods.

He said the committees that carried out the survey in Eloor and Kanhikode were set up on the basis of complaints raised by residents in the neighbourhood of the industrial belts.

“The committee for Eloor submitted its report two weeks back. Its recommendations will be implemented in nine wards of Eloor. The industrial units will have to foot the capital cost of reducing pollution.”

Mr. Karim said the committee for Kanhikode was expected to submit its report on Saturday. He said climate change had emerged as a hot topic of discussion the world over.

“Rising temperature has led to forest fires, epidemic outbreaks, drought and floods in several countries. In Kerala, the shortfall in monsoon rains this year has affected hydel power production, forcing us to resort to industrial power cut.”

The Minister called for a mass movement to bring pressure on governments reluctant to join the global effort to reduce pollution by greenhouse emissions. He said the State government was trying to promote the replacement of incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps and reduce vehicular emissions.

Mr. Karim stressed the need to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Act with provisions to encourage fuel-efficient vehicles and public transport.

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