The Andhra Pradesh government is setting up a Technology Cell within the Industries department to provide information and other support on clean technologies.
Industries commissioner R Karikal Valaven told Business Standard that the cell would be ready by the last week of January 2011. The department has already entered into partnerships with the Technology Development Board and the Indian School of Business for the purpose. Composed entirely of outside experts, the cell would be an ‘outsourced operation,’ he said.
Earlier, addressing a seminar on Industry and Environment organised by Fapcci, he said, “Till now, the practice has been to pollute now and clean up later, but that is not working. It is better to adopt cleaner technologies.” Though the government has announced incentives and subsidies for clean technology adoption, there were no takers so far, he said. This prompted the decision to set up a technology cell.
According to the government’s twin-track approach, the clean technology cell would help new industries meet the environmental norms. For the existing industries, which are required to set up a common effluent treatment plant, the central government has announced several schemes, which are being used by the Tamil Nadu industries in a big way, he said.
According to BR Meena, vice chairman and managing director, AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, new industrial parks, special economic zones and investment regions were being planned in coordination with the Industries department, Country and Town Planning department and AP Pollution Control Board.
Pollution, a reputation risk
Describing pollution as a reputation risk for the industries, APPCB member secretary K Madhusudana Rao said on the board’s push, industries in the four critically polluted spots of Patancheru, Pashamailaram, Bollaram and Visakhapatnam spent Rs 225 crore on pollution control.
He said the board would go by its own measurements of ambient air quality and other parameters in granting clearances. It would not depend on the energy bills of the pollution-reducing equipment or anything like that.
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Participants in the seminar complained that once a ‘Red’ rating (indicating highly polluting nature) is given to an industry, it remained with it. Rao said the red, orange, yellow categorisation was made by the Central Pollution Control Board and was reviewed every four years. APPCB has set up connectivity for remote monitoring of pollution at 70 industries.
B Sam Bob, principal secretary (Industry & Commerce), said the state was poised to see big growth in industrial sector, thanks to the long coastline and discovery of natural gas reserves. What was needed is proper planning. “We have made it the responsibility of the SEZ developer to get the environmental clearance for the entire zone. Effluent treatment plants are a must,” he said.
Fapcci president Shekhar Agarwal wanted plug-and-play infrastructure for small and medium enterprises, while Venkat Jasti, who chairs the environment committee of the industry body, said an industry task force was needed with members from all concerned departments.
New SME clusters
Industries commissioner Karikal Valaven said 15 new clusters of tiny and micro enterprises were being planned in the state. Of these, five would be around the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, while the others would be located in various districts.