Maha govt to set up department to study climate change

Maharashtra government will soon set up a separate department to study climate change in the state, Minister for Environment, Ramdas Kadam said here today.
Replying to a short duration debate raised by Shobhatai Fadnavis (BJP) on effects of climate change in the State Legislative Council, he announced that the government has plans to ban vehicles, which are plying for more than 10 years in Mumbai and do not conform to the pollution control norms.
Kadam pointed out that at present there are 25 lakh vehicles in the metropolis.
"The government will set up a separate department to study the climate changes and its effects in the state," he said.

He also said the government intends to plant two crore trees in near future.
"The onus of their survival will be placed on Gram Panchayats and Zila Parishad school children," he said.

Referring to the scourge of plastic, Kadam said although the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has banned use of plastic bags below 55 microns, these bags are produced in bulk in Gujarat.
"The government plans to prevent their entry into the state at the check nakas," he said.
Commenting on the air quality in Mumbai, he said that the government intends to install 50 machines at prominent busy signals which can absorb polluted air in the vicinity of 200 feet.

Kadam informed the House that out of one lakh industries in the state, 2,500 of them are causing pollution.
Earlier, taking part in the debate, Neelam Gorhe reiterated Sena's opposition to the Jaitapur Nuclear power project arguing that the project poses grave danger to local environment.
Later raising a point of information, Rahul Narvekar (NCP) wanted the minister to spell out the government's stand on the Jaitapur nuclear power project.
Kadam, however avoided making reference to the project.
He added that the government has shutdown two 210 MW units of Chandrapur thermal power plant after it was found that it was discharging polluted affluents.

"We plan to install on trial, a garbage processing plant to process 18 tonnes of garbage collected from Mumbai. If successful, it shall be implemented in other Municipal Corporations," he said.