BJP member Devjibhai Patel raised the issue of increasing air and water pollution in and around Raipur primarily due to Urla and Silatara Sponge and Power Plants in the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Monday.
He stated that the chemical composition in the air are several times higher than the permissible limits posing risk on health of people and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has issued repeated warnings in this regard.
In a reply to the question raised by Devjibhai Patel through calling attention motion, Environment Minister Rajesh Munat said that the air pollution was not as severe to pose danger to life as stated by the member.
The Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) has taken effective steps to control pollution by the industries, he said, adding, the concentration of dust in air is although higher than the permissible limits but the concentration of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases is within norms.
Munat said that NEERI report estimates 19 per cent share in the pollution of the atmospheric air in Raipur due to emission by the Urla and Siltara sponge and power plants.
The CECB regularly inspects these industries and ensures that the emission is within the permissible limits. Action is taken for violation of norms, he said.
Patel also alleged that the industries overlook the norms and have the sole objective of earning maximum money.
He alleged that the industries have not started tree plantation as per the target assigned to them.
The ruling party member also said that due to pollution, the water of ponds in and around Raipur is becoming poisonous to such an extent that it is destroying the flora and fauna.
Munat refuted the charges and said that pollution in ponds is due to household discharges in these ponds.