Shifting breather for two major industrial centres in Chhattisgarh

The board meeting that was chaired by ACS Housing and Environment Department and CECB Chairman N Baijendra Kumar expressed concern over the issue of increasing pollution in the state capital

Chhattisgarh government said that it had not taken any decision to shift two oldest and major industrial centres located at the outskirts of the capital city to other locations.

At the 32nd state board meeting of the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB), the decision was taken to shift the Urla and Siltara industrial growth centres elsewhere following pollution problem. Both the centres housing more about 600 medium and small units are located at the outskirts of the capital city.

The board meeting that was chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Housing and Environment Department and CECB Chairman N Baijendra Kumar expressed concern over the issue of increasing pollution in the state capital. The adjoining industrial centres were blamed for the same while the industrialists for ignoring the norms and not taking required measures to check pollution.

The board had designated Member Secretary Devendra Singh to hold parleys with the industrialists and prepare a report. The officials said that the plan would be given final shape only after discussion with the industrialists and the associations concerned. The report would underline other details including the cost that the state government had to incur for the process.

Even as the industrialists voiced protest against any move to shift the industrial areas, the state government cleared the suspicion prevailing over the issue. "At present, no decision had been taken by the state government to shift the two industrial areas," Chhattisgarh's industry minister Rajesh Munat said in the legislative assembly today. The statement is contrary to board's decision.

The Urla industrial area was set up about 25 years ago and have about 550 small and medium units engaged in steel, aluminium, zinc, power, cement, production. The Siltara industrial area also came into being at the same time. Rs 716 crore had been invested in centre, spread over an area of about 1185 hectares.