Lack of waste management in pesticide units in J&K: Committee

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly's Committee on Environment has expressed concern over the lack of waste management in pesticide units of the state, saying that a strategic action plan is needed for developing scientific treatment and handling of such waste.
"The lack of hazardous waste management in the pesticide units is a serious issue of concern and the strategic action plan is the need of the hour for developing a scientific treatment, storage, disposal and handling of hazardous waste management as per Hazardous Waste Rules," the committee chairman and CPI(M) legislator M Y Tarigami said yesterday during a meeting here.

Tarigami said pollution due to emissions and waste generated is bound to occur in an industrial environment, but a proper control mechanism should be put in place to address the issue.
He said not all industrial estates are supported with Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) for draining out waste and it is released into local water bodies which needs attention of the authorities.
The Chairman said operation and maintenance of ETPs in the pesticide units is also not satisfactory and most of them have become obsolete in technology.
Tarigami said ground water quality monitoring be done by the Pollution Control Board (PCB) in collaboration with Central Ground Water Board to ensure that pollutants are monitored on continuous basis.

He said unit holders should take all precautions during formulation for the safety of workers and these precautionary measures need to be monitored by Health department in collaboration with Agriculture and PCB from time to time.