Ranchi will have to wait for another two months for an effective pollution checking mechanism that was envisaged in the first meeting of the committee on addressing pollution related issues in the capital. The committee has been constituted on the behest of Jharkhand High Court which has put the onus on Urban Development Department to implement suggestions of the committee.
“This is long process. A proposal will be prepared followed by tender for setting up pollution checking centers and mobile units. It will take at least two months before any concrete progress can be observed on ground,” said an official of the Transport Department.
The committee comprising Additional Chief Secretary Sajal Chakravarty and lawyer Sohail Anwar besides officials of Transport department and Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) had conducted its meeting on February 9 to discuss slew of measures needed to control pollution and smoothen traffic in Ranchi. Other members in the committee are advocate Dilip Jerath and Additional Advocate General Ajit Kumar. The committee has to hold meeting every month. “Tomorrow I will review progress made since the first meeting was conducted,” said Chakravarty when asked about.
However, according to sources there is hardly any progress made on ground in the direction of installing anti-pollution mechanism in capital besides Dhanbad, Bokaro, Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh and Dumka. The committee has to file a consolidated report consisting suggestions for reducing pollution, increasing public transport system in Ranchi, use of alternative fuel and other relevant suggestions. The report is likely to be presented to the High Court in the first week of May.
“The report has to be submitted in the month of May however there is no notice for conducting next meeting of the committee,” maintained Anwar.
Notably, the committee has suggested opening pollution certifying centres at prominent squares in the city, roping in mobile units to check emissions made by a vehicle, monitoring agencies for preventing misuse of authority delegated to private parties for certifying vehicles and penal provisions for centres as well as people circumventing rules to issue or obtain certificates.
