The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has drawn up a plan to set up 30 continuous online ambient air quality stations in the state to ensure monitoring of ambient air quality in all districts.
While stating this here today, Finance and Environment Minister Ajay Singh Yadav said one such station had already been set up at Faridabad. The ambient air quality data received from the station was being sent to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and to the headquarters of the HSPCB. The Board had already procured equipment for setting up of continuous online monitoring stations for three towns, namely Panchkula, Gurgaon and Rohtak which are likely to be set up shortly.
As a result, 9,239 pollution control devices had already been installed by various polluting industries in the State. Besides, the installation of nine Common Effluent Treatment Plants and 29 Sewage Treatment Plants for treatment of effluents from industrial clusters and sewage effluent generated from various towns in the state, the Board had set up 15 monitoring stations under National Water Monitoring Programme for quarterly monitoring of river Yamuna and river Ghaggar. As a result of this, the quality of water in river Yamuna at Haryana-Delhi Border remained under control within the permissible limits as is evident from the reports of the CPCB.
He said to simplify the procedure for consent, HSPCB has delegated powers to the district level committees for grant of consent to establish or consent to operate to units having investment up to Rs 10 crore except units covered under Environment Impact Assessment Notification. The Board was also taking all necessary steps to get the compliance done from polluting units. These units were required to submit bank guarantee alongwith scheme of pollution control devices and undertaking for timely completion of the treatment facility in a given time frame and their efficient operation on a sustainable basis.
If the pollution control devices failed to achieve the performance parameters, the Bank guarantees would be forfeited and action would be initiated for prosecution or closure.
The Board had also prepared a proposal for strengthening of its technical, scientific, administrative, legal manpower and opening of District Level Regional Offices to have a better check over the polluting industries and for undertaking awareness programmes and environment management education, he added.
Capt. Yadav said that a proposal had also been prepared for strengthening of existing four laboratories of the Board and opening of four new laboratories at Yamunanagar, Sonepat, Panipat and Bahadurgarh and the same had already been sent to the CPCB. The operation of hospitals and service providers was also being monitored for ensuring compliance of provisions of the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules. As many as seven service providers had been authorized for collection, reception, transportation, treatment and disposal of Bio-Medical Waste. No Objection Certificates had also been issued to six more companies for setting up of Common Bio-medical Waste management facility to ensure better service to health care units.
A common treatment, storage and disposal facility for scientific disposal of hazardous waste had been made operational at Village Pali, district Faridabad. Extensive awareness programmes had been undertaken in all the 119 Blocks for sensitizing the farmers about the harmful effects of burning of wheat stubble or paddy straw in open fields. Complete ban had been imposed on manufacture, sale and usage of plastic carry bags in the State, he added.
