Housing and Environment Minister Rajesh Munat has handed over a stern warning to owners of industrial units that if they fail to install ‘online monitoring chip’ for facilitating checking of pollution levels by August 15, their units would be asked to shut shop. Munat, while reviewing the work of Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) here, stated that the owners of industrial units and lease holders of mines would not have to visit the CECB office for getting various environmental clearances. “The process had been made online”, he said.
The environment clearance certificate will also be issued online, the Minister said. Munat also directed that all the work process of CECB must completely be computerised. ‘It is suggested that the computerisation processes in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra be studied’, he said. The work process of CECB should be made completely transparent, Munat said. The Minister said that the industrial units generating polluted water must recycle waste water and then only the exit of such water should be allowed out of the unit. Munat also directed officials to ensure that all concerned units have water treatment plants established.
The Minister also asked officials to get installed an ‘online monitoring server’ at CECB for monitoring of pollution levels of various industrial units. Additional Chief Secretary N Baijendra Kumar stated that the work process of CECB would be fully computerised with the help of National Informatics Centre (NIC) so that the applicants are provided online application filing facility besides bringing about total transparency in the working of the Board.
Housing and Environment Department Secretary Sanjay Shukla provided a detailed account of CECB activities. Notably, the Chhattisgarh government started deliberations in March this year over ‘cluster wise’ shifting of polluting industrial units to regions away from Raipur city.
No more new polluting industrial units will be established around Raipur city and in public interest, such existing industrial units would be either shifted or shut down. This was decided during a meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Housing and Environment, N Baijendra Kumar and industry representatives of Urla-Siltara Industrial Area.
During the meeting, industry representatives were informed about State Government’s proposal for shifting of pollution causing industrial units to some other place and discussion was held over the issue in the meeting. “Considering the environmental pollution, cluster wise shifting of industries has been proposed,” the ACS said while instructing them to seriously comply with environmental rules.
The owners of industrial units were directed to strictly use ESP for lowering smoke emission, so that people may be able to get relief from the smoke problem. “For decreasing pollution level in Raipur city, the State Government has begun the discussion for shifting pollution causing industries located in Urla and Siltara to some other place,” he said, adding, pollution causing industries will no longer be supported.
“Whatever the process the Government is going to adopt will be transparent, however, your suggestions in developing criteria for the same would be important,” the ACS told industry representatives. The way Korba Action Plan was prepared and implemented, a similar kind of plan needs to be prepared for industries around Raipur. Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board will keep an eye on it, he said.
Secretary, Environment Department, Sanjay Shukla had stated : ‘Our first priority should be to decrease pollution. We have gathered here to think over the parameters of environment, why are they not being followed, why has the situation for shifting industries arrived and what should be the procedure for shifting industrial units’, he said.
Notably, to cite an example, the Chhattisgarh Government is betting big on not just developing Naya Raipur as a ‘Smart City’ with ultra modern town planning, its thrust on inviting non-core sector investors to set up base is receiving an equal share of undivided attention, officials stated. Buoyed by the recent Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) list released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Government of India stating that Chhattisgarh has received maximum proposals in the country for setting up industrial projects, the proposed second Global Investors Meet is set to draw more investors to the State, they stated.
Chhattisgarh has received investment proposals to the tune of Rs1,61, 836 crores which is way ahead of its follower Maharashtra, they said. Chief Minister Raman Singh has credited the achievement to the conducive industrial environment and developing people of the State and said that he anticipates that these proposals will convert into real investments. This will take the industrial growth rate much higher than other states, he said.