Cgarh govt makes action plan for pollution control in Raipur

With Raipur being listed as the seventh most polluted city in the world in a World Health Organisation report, the Chhattisgarh government has drafted an action plan to arrest rising pollution in the city over the next two years.
"Government has chalked out a strong action plan which will help Raipur city to overcome pollution menace over the next two years," Chairman, Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) Aman Kumar Singh said.
In a recent WHO report, Raipur was ranked as the seventh most polluted city in the world. This is for the second consecutive year that WHO's urban air quality data base figure puts the state capital on highly polluted cities map.

Singh, however, said the WHO's report on Raipur's pollution was based on statistics between years 2008 and 2013.
According to the departmental protocol, ambient air quality monitoring station is being operated at separate places by separating Raipur into grids which will help in controlling pollution in industrial units operational in the city and its adjoining areas through proper monitoring, he said.
Besides, an extensive plantation drive will also be taken up in and around industrial areas, Singh added.

As per the report, the annual average Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 levels for Raipur has been recorded as 144 microgram per cubic meter, Singh said, adding that the conclusion is based on figures collected between 2008 and 2013.

The annual PM 2.5 level for Raipur came down to 49.33 microgram per cubic meter in 2015-16, he said, adding, in the coming years, it will reach 40 microgram per cubic meter.
Following the directives of Chief Minister Raman Singh and state Environment Minister Rajesh Munat, serious efforts are being made to check pollution in the city at five different levels, he said.
It includes controlling vehicular pollution, implementation of online monitoring of industrial units, promotion of use of LPG against firewood, kerosene and biomass for household purpose and proper storage and disposal of medical as well as industrial waste.