Himachal Chief Secretary Shrikant Baldi on Friday said seven polluted river stretches of Sukhna, Markanda, Sirsa, Ashwani, Beas, Giri and Pabbar should be cleaned up on priority basis and added that the action plan prepared by  Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB)  must be implemented immediately and any laxity in this regard won't be tolerated.

Rreviewing the implementation of action plan prepared by HPSPCB, he asked officers to take up the cleanliness work of the seven polluted river stretches of the State.

Baldi said Himachal Pradesh is known for clean and healthy environment; therefore it is necessary that natural resources especially water and air should be free from all kind of pollutants.

He directed the HPSPCB to regularly check the quality of the rivers through Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Station data received from Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department.

The chief secretary also directed Rural Development Department for setting up of Solid Waste Management facility at Kala Amb in district Sirmaur within timeframe. He asked the IPH Department to ensure completion of project proposal for sewage management by laying pipelines and installation and commissioning of Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) at Nalagarh in district Solan, at the earliest.

Baldi directed officers to expedite the installation of new STP of 2.0 MLD capacity for Panthaghatti area and septage management under AMRUT-Misson for management of faecal sludge including drains contributing sewage into Ashwani khad in district Shimla.

He also directed for timely completion of expansion of existing STPs and installation of new STPs in district Mandi. He asked the officers to expedite work of sewer connection and sewer line upgradation at Naduan in district Hamirpur. Directions were given to pace up the progress of installing one STP at Theog and two in Kotkhai area of district Shimla. He asked Forest Department to ensure that the proposed plantation, as per action plan, in various polluted river stretches was completed within time.

Additional Chief Secretary, Environment Science and Technology, R.D. Dhiman and other senior officers of the line departments were also present in the meeting.