Chairperson of the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA), Dr Bhure Lal, on Saturday instructed different departments in Delhi and Ghaziabad to take steps to reduce pollution around Delhi border and also directed industrial units to switch to PNG-based fuels.
EPCA chief visited Ghaziabad Saturday and took stock of conditions at ISBT Anand Vihar, ISBT Kaushmabi, Delhi border areas apart from Sahibabad site 4 industrial area. Sahibabad is already listed as a pollution hotspot by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Dr Bhure Lal had also held a meeting with officials from Delhi police, Ghaziabad police, Central public works department (CPWD), UPPCB apart from members of district administration. Various factory owners and members of different resident welfare associations (RWAs) were also present at the meeting.
“The EPCA chairperson has directed all the industrial unit owners to switch to PNG-based fuel immediately, and stop the use of coal and other solid fuels which lead to pollution. There are about 150 units which use coal. A majority of industrial units that have boilers still use non-PNG fuel,” Utsav Sharma, regional officer of the UP pollution control board (UPPCB), said.
Some RWA members, who were present at the meeting, said the industrial unit owners had raised concerns they had already applied for the PNG connections but they were yet to get them.
“The EPCA chairperson assured them that he will take up their issue and, if need be, will appraise the Supreme Court for appropriate directions. He also took stock of buses plying illegally at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border and asked the Delhi and Ghaziabad police to rein in such vehicles,” VK Mittal, president of Kaushambi Apartments RWA, said.
The UPPCB officials said the police officials have also been asked to improve the traffic conditions at the ISBT Anand Vihar T-point.
“He specifically directed that the T-point should not be allowed to remain congested. He has also asked the Ghaziabad agencies to draw a plan and mark spaces where concessionaires collect solid waste as well as industrial waste from all the industrial areas in Ghaziabad. This, he said, would help in identifying places where waste burning occurs frequently,” Sharma added.
The EPCA team also took notice of encroachment near the Saur Urja Marg which is a major road running through the entire industrial area.
“The EPCA chairperson has asked the Ghaziabad agencies to chalk out a plan to remove encroachment from the Saur Urja Marg and also take up plantations on the dividers on the road,” Sharma, added.
