CEPI level of Ramgrah, Jamshedpur, Bokaro to be measured
After burning its fingers at Dhanbad where the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had imposed a complete moratorium four years ago which got relaxed only in 2013 with certain riders the State Pollution Control Board is in no mood to take any chance this time. The JSPCB is readying itself to study the pollution level in other major industrial clusters of Jharkhand which have been on margins and among the probable to cross the CEPI (Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index) limit in the days to come.
The Board with the purpose of making authentic studies in advance about emissions coming from industries based on coal, iron ore and others related is ready with a proposal to invite Expression of Interest (EoI) from agencies like Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR). The qualifying agency would study the emission level of Ramgrah, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Chandil and Badajamda of Singhbhum.
“Several new industrial units have come up related to collieries, coal washries, thermal plants, coke ovens, refractory plants, sponge iron, brick kilns and stone crushers in these areas. Already towns like Jamshedpur, Bokaro Ramgrah etc were on margins with high CEPI indices. It would be better if we make study as proactive measure rather than waiting for moratorium like one imposed in Dhanbad to be clamped there as well by the CPCB,” said AK Mishra, Chairman of the JSPCB. In 2010 itself, clusters of Ramgarh, Seraikela, Jamshedpur and Badajamda had acquired tags under severely polluted categories.
CEPI score more than 70 considered as critically polluted while industrial area and cluster of Dhanbad had scored 78.63 on CEPI index that was rated as critically polluted in 2010. This put blanket ban on the city from inviting any new industry and expansion of old ones sited in industrial cluster. Resultantly the ban exerted some pressure on the existing ones and the level was lowered up to CEPI score 71.78 in February-April, 2013. The ‘improvement’ made the CPCB lifting the moratorium on September 17, 2013 and paved way for new units but still under strict vigil of and review of the JSPCB.
“The Board is going to invite firms to study pollution level on the banks of Damodar and Subarnarekha and the study about the towns would be tagged along with that as well. It would be equally beneficial for the investors planning to come in those places as they would know about the existing emission level in advance,” added Mishra and mentioned that the Board would also plead to the CPCB to bear say half of the cost coming on the study.
The early step holds importance especially when the CPCB is slated to review the Dhanbad situation again in 2015. Though the central pollution watchdog may apply its own mechanism for the assessment but expertise of agency like CINFR considered beyond any doubt and their services have been used before by CPCB as well. “The agency is considered independent and CPCB has done this before. Detailed study based on parameters set for water, air and land would be ready with the State in case the CPCB wants those,” said a top official of Department of Forest and Environment though expressing ignorance about the latest move by the JSPCB.