Minister of Food and Civic supplies department Saryu Roy on Thursday demanded that air pollution must be included in the Swachhta Abhiyan adding that violation of environment norms was widespread in the State.
Speaking to media persons at Project Building on Thursday Roy said he would request the Prime Minister in this regard adding that permission to set up industries in cities where air pollution has reached the maximum carrying capacity must not be given.
He said a campaign to prevent air pollution would be started in the State on October 10-the first day of Navratri- under the auspices of an organisation Nature Foundation.
Rai said during the drive, the organization would submit memorandum to Chief Minister, Chairman cum managing directors and deputy commissioners for real time data collection in the polluted zones.
He said that a helpline call centre would also be setup where people from any part of the state could provide information about air pollution. The complaints would be sent to competent officer of the concerned department.
He added a three day workshop on environment would be held in Ranchi in December where 100 people would be trained on earth, environment, pollution and environment laws. The trained youths would later serve as environment protection messengers.
Roy stated he held a meeting with officials of forest and environment department on September 28 on air pollution during which he asked the officers to ensure implementation of environment provisions.
He asked the officials to form the committees at various levels according to the pollution control norms. He said that air pollution was high in mining area adding that violation of environment laws was rampant in coal mines.
The minister said that device for online real time data collection must be set up in the mining areas and the cities adding that except Jamshedpur and Dhanbad none of the places have such device.
He claimed that Damodar Bachao Abhiyan to free the Damodar of pollution was successful to a large extent as industries located on its banks have stopped discharging polluted water into the river.