Rajasthan govt to form a three-member panel to control industrial pollution

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The Rajasthan government will soon set up a three-member committee to control growing pollution by industrial units, Minister of State for Environment Sanjay Sharma told the Assembly recently.

According to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) released last week, two Rajasthan cities — Sri Ganganagar and Bhiwadi — were in the top 10 most polluted cities in the country.

An official of the state pollution control board said the panel would ensure the industries take appropriate measures for pollution control. The committee will get the power to penalise industries flouting the rules, the official said.

The committee, which will be constituted by the State Pollution Control Board under the chairmanship of the chief environmental engineer, will survey the industrial areas to ensure effective action on the prevention of pollution. Suggestions will be taken from the public representatives and residents of the area.

The industry contributes around 24 per cent of the state's gross domestic product, lower than agriculture (27 per cent) and services (41 per cent) to the state’s GDP besides other small sectors.

According to available data, mineral grinding units are a major source of pollution in the state.

Rajasthan, which produces over 57 different minerals, is one of the top states in terms of availability and variety of minerals in the country. Many of such mineral grinding units have been issued show cause notices for flouting norms.

The official said these industries had been asked to take measures like covering the machine, installing bag filters, and spraying water to prevent air pollution.

The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board inspects these industries from time to time and checks the air quality.