Chandigarh, December 29:- Haryana Environment Minister Mr. Rao Narbir Singh said that manufacturing and use of plastic polythene has been banned in the state since 2013, despite this, its use is causing a major problem of pollution. He directed the officials of Haryana State Pollution Control Board to launch a special campaign on a wide scale to make the public aware about the harm of polythene.
Active participation of Public Health Engineering Department, Irrigation and Water Resources, Industries and Commerce and Urban Local Bodies Department should also be ensured in this campaign. He said that this campaign should be started from the cities and a detailed action plan for this should be prepared and presented within a month.
Rao Narbir Singh was chairing a review meeting of the functioning of Haryana State Pollution Control Board here today in his office. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Vineet Garg, Additional Chief Secretaries of the concerned departments and nominated Nodal Officers.
The Environment Minister said that the Regional Officers of the Pollution Control Board must conduct personal inspection of the industries. He directed that when an application is received on the online portal for setting up an industry or for NOC, the Regional Officers should register all the objections in one go. By repeatedly raising different objections, the industrialists have to be unnecessarily disturbed and they have to visit the Board many times. Such a situation should be prevented at all costs.
The Minister was informed in the meeting that a total of 11 main drains are found in the Yamuna river in Haryana through which the polluted water of the industries reaches. Expressing concern over this, he directed that the work related to CETP and STP should be expedited. Special attention was also given to the STPs of Rewari, Bawal and Dharuhera.
He said that there is a waterlogging situation in about 25-26 villages near Samani Barrage. The Irrigation Department should prepare a plan to drain this water through pipeline and transport it to the river flowing towards Rajasthan and this water should be treated and reused in agriculture. This will give great benefit to the farmers of Khol and Bawal blocks and the shortage of canal water will also be met to a large extent.
Mr. Rao Narbir Singh clearly said that before renewing the license of industries of Red, Orange and Green category, the regional officers should go to the site and conduct personal inspection. Supplying food through brokerage just by sitting in the office will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
During the meeting, Member Secretary of Haryana State Pollution Control Board Mr. Yogesh Kumar assured the Minister that he will personally inspect the STPs located in Panipat, Sonipat, Jhajjar and Gurugram in the next week and will also hold a review meeting with the concerned regional officers.