By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, MAY 27: The Central Pollution Control Board has identified over 300 river stretches all across the country including North East region for improving the water quality.
This was revealed after a meeting chaired by the CPCB chief SP Parihar with the officials of the state pollution control boards (SPCBs) from the eight NE states held in the state’s capital on Friday.
“We have identified around 302 river stretches which few are here in this region. There are plans to improve the water quality in those stretches,” CPCB Additional Director Prashant Gargava said.
It may be mentioned here, water quality has also become a major concern in the state of Meghalaya, whose rivers have been affected by pollution in recent years.
He said that the pollution boards have also deliberated on strengthening the water quality monitoring.
“There are some proposals from different states and we are preparing plans and their implementation to improve the water quality in those identified stretches,” Gargava said.
Various environmental issues which include air quality and solid waste management of the North East were also discussed at length during the one-day meeting.
“We need to strengthen the laboratory requirement, manpower requirement and resource requirement,” he said.
Asked, the CPCB official said in as far as air quality is concerned, it was discussed on whether we need to monitor more cities and towns wherein standards have not been met and what kind of actions are required.
“Therefore, we will organize a training to discuss how to improve air quality in the cities where you don’t have good air quality and on the importance to maintain the same air quality in cities & towns where you have good air quality,” he added.
He also informed the CPCB has also decided to identify the training needs of the states and its regional office in Shillong will organize specific training for the region.
On solid waste management which is also a concern, Gargava said Sikkim, which has done a lot of work in term of plastic waste management, have been requested to share its good practice with other states for them to follow as well.
Moreover, the CPCB has also asked the eight states to coordinate and share facilities among themselves in improving the environmental quality of the region while assuring to extend its full support.
Meanwhile, it has also decided to take up series of workshops to educate people about the new rules – solid waste management rules 2016, E-waste rules 2016, Bio medical rules 2016, construction & demolition rules 2016, plastic waste management rules, 2016, and hazardous waste management rules, 2016.
The workshop is a first step wherein the government is trying to make people aware of their roles and responsibilities, according to the official.
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