Keonjhar: As pollution has been on rise in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district, it has been a concern for the administration and the public equally. The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has taken the issue seriously and decided to set up five more special pollution monitoring centres in the district.
It has been reported from various parts that pollution control norms have been thrown to the winds.
The pollution watchdog was accused of not monitoring pollution by mining, transportation and industrial units. It is said that pollution has emerged as a major problem in the district, hampering development and causing suffocation in mining pockets. In the past, locals have protested pollution alongside roads due to transportation.
It is learnt that there is no such system to measure pollution while the staff crunch in the SPCB local branch is hampering pollution checking.
It is claimed that seven special pollution monitoring centres have already been functioning across the district. However, SPCB sources said five more such centres will be put in place at pollution sensitive areas.
The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) is going to set up those pollution measuring centres by March 31, 2020.
NEERI, a part of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), is a research institute created and funded by the Centre and set up in Nagpur in 1958 with focuses on water supply, sewage disposal, communicable diseases and to some extent on industrial pollution and occupational diseases. This pioneer laboratory in the field of environmental science and engineering has five zonal laboratories at Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.
Tata Steel has set up a pollution checking centre at Joda East; OMC has set up one at Bhadrasahi; SAIL has one near Karo river; Sirajuddin has set up one at Bamebari; RP Sao has set up one at Guali; KJS Ahluwalia at Barbil.
If ambient air contains 100 microgram cubic metres of dust particles in each cubic metre air, then preventive measures will be taken to check pollution.
Such pollution checking centres were proposed to be set up at Keonjhar town, near Bansapal-Suakati road, Nayagad, Bileipada and Nalda Road.
Pollution level is high in the ambient air which has affected life. “There is a need for water sprinkling on the roads leading to mines, massive plantation drive and other measure to bring down pollution,” said Puskar Behera, regional officer of the SPCB.
He added that mineral transporters have been asked to carry minerals under the cover of tarpaulin sheets while lease holders have been asked to check pollution and repair roads that are in bad shape. *