Pollution board has no equipment

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 15

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) does not have equipment to monitor revised ambient air quality (NAAQ) norms notified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in November 2009.

This is acting as an impediment in the implementation of the norms.

The SPCB is not following the revised norms. It is still monitoring the air quality on the basis of three parameters — sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and RSPM.

As per the revised NAAQ norms, air quality is supposed to be measured on various parameters, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter of varying dimension, ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, ammonia, benzene, benzoa pyrene, arsenic and nickel. Since the presence of various hazardous metals in the air is becoming a cause of concern, the new norms were introduced in 2009, said an official of the SPCB.

The introduction of new norms by the CPCB has failed to yield the desired results. Little is being done by industrial units as far as the implementation of the norms is concerned.

The CPCB has directed 17 categories of hazardous and toxic waste emitting industrial units to put in place online monitoring devices so that real-time monitoring of their pollution parameters can be executed through a centralised server.

The step has been taken to monitor both air and water pollution-related norms where the role of the SPCB has been reduced to merely ensuring that such devices are installed in the industrial units dealing in cement, paper, leather and chemicals.

This online monitoring mechanism was to be adopted by June 30, the CPCB has extended the deadline to September 30. Once the process is completed, the CPCB will ensure that the norms are complied with through a centralised server. Member secretary of the SPCB Vineet Kumar said things would be clear once the system became operational.