Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 19: There is a dire need of conducting in-depth study from the reputed agency of the country to assess the impact of pollution caused by the industrial units set up before 2006 on the environment and agriculture as majority of such units were established at a time when the stringent/improved Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure was not in vogue.
This has been suggested by a committee constituted by the State Government to study the impact of pollution caused by the pesticide units of Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) Samba and the industrial units of Industrial Estate Govindsar, Kathua on the overall environment and on agriculture, horticulture and vegetable production of the surrounding areas.
Before submitting detailed report to the General Administration Department few days back for onward submission to the Committee on Environment of State Legislature, the committee headed by Managing Director, SIDCO and comprising Dr Raj Kumar Rampaul, Head of Department of Environment Sciences, University of Jammu, Dr V K Wali, Prof and Head Division of Fruit Science, SKUAST-J, J N Sharma, Environment Engineer, Pollution Control Board, Bulesh Zutshi, Plant Protection Officer, Department of Agriculture and expert nominated by IIIM Jammu, not only visited several industrial units both at Samba and Govindsar but also had detailed interaction with the people living in the localities near ICG Samba and Industrial Estate Govindsar.
“The committee has found that impact of the pollution caused by the industrial units on the environment in the surrounding areas is a matter of concern and should be taken as a wake up call”, sources said quoting the report, adding “people in the areas near the Industrial Growth Centre, Samba apprised the committee of the damage to the crops and skin disorders due to the pollution caused allegedly by the pesticide units”.
“Air pollution in both IGC Samba and Industrial Estate Govindpur was found at highest level as compared to other areas”, sources said, adding “the committee found that there was no scientific disposal of hazardous waste in several industrial units in sheer violation of the rules. Even several industrial units were found not having treatment plants while as the same in several others were found inoperative”.
Recommending both long and short term measures to prevent the situation from worsening, the committee has stressed that instead of conducting minor and category specific studies one after another on the complaints of the people living in the areas near the industrial units and industrial estates Government must engage national agency to carry out detailed and in-depth study of impact of pollution caused by the industrial units on the environment.
According to the sources, the Committee has suggested that only such agency(ies) should be selected for the task of much importance which not only have expertise but also latest and sophisticated machinery/equipment to carry out detailed studies.
“This becomes imperative because there are several industrial units across the State which were established before 2006 when the stringent/improved Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure was not in vogue”, sources said quoting the committee observations and recommendations, adding “such industrial units have not gone through the EIA procedure and the situation demands to see whether these units conform to the laid down parameters and guidelines from environment safety point of view”.
It is pertinent to mention here that stringent and improved Environment Impact Assessment Notification was notified on 14th September, 2006 by superseding the earlier one of 1994. The purpose of the Notification is to impose certain restrictions and prohibitions on new projects and activities, or on the expansion or modernization of existing projects and activities based on their potential environmental impacts.
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