| The
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in pursuance of its mandate, formulates
national programmes for prevention and control of pollution. These include nationwide
monitoring network, laying down national standards for ambient water and air quality,
source-specific Minimal National Standards (MINAS) for effluents and emissions,
and action plans for critically polluted areas and highly polluting categories
of industries. In regard to polluting industries, the State Pollution Control
Boards (SPCBs) in State and the Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in UT Administration
enforce the standards laid down for various types of industry. For a nation-wide
drive to control industrial pollution, the Central Pollution Control Board enlisted
17 categories of highly polluting industries and grossly polluting industries
discharging their effluents into the rivers and lakes. The SPCBs/PCCs were asked
to give special attention to these industries and the progress of implementation
of the programme is regularly monitored by CPCB. Earlier, such an initiative was
also taken in regard to the grossly polluting industries discharging their effluents
into the river Ganga.
The implementation of these programmes has been
intensified through creation of the Environment Surveillance Squads by the Central/State
Boards for surprise inspection of industries. Over 625 surprise inspections have
been made by the Central and State Boards during 1999-2000. As a result of sustained
persuasion, the number of defaulting units has considerably reduced.
The current issue of Parivesh covers the details of these programmes including,
the various concerned developments, their present status and suggested actions
for an effective control of pollution from polluting industries.
The
information and the status concerning these programmes have been reviewed and
collated by my colleagues Dr. R.S. Mahwar, Shri Shriance Jain, Shri Subhash Chand
and Shri N.K. Verma. |
