Panel to study pollution goes up in smoke
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 24 2014 : The Expert Committee of Officials constituted by the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to check level of industrial pollution has literally gone up in smoke instead of serving its purpose.

It is said that the Committee was specifically set up by the MPCB to monitor emission/discharge of pollutants from small to medium industrial units operational in the State such as brick-field, stone crushing, mobile tower, packaged drinking water plant, flour mill, rice mill, etc., along with assessing whether the level of emission is within the permissible limit.

based on report of the Committee issuance of industrial certificate is supposed to be decided by the Consent Committee of the MPCB, said an informed source adding that industrial units not complying with the prescribed norms of the Board should be asked to follow relevant procedures before the certificate is issued.

With the said Committee no more able to justify its formation or execute the assigned task, issuance of industrial certificate has become the prerogatives of the Board's Member Secretary and Senior Environmental Engineer, revealed the source.

The Expert Committee of Officials actually comprised of five members under the chairmanship of Senior Scientific Engineer.

As procedural norms for issuing industrial certificates entailed submission of report by the Committee followed by approval of the Consent Committee defunct of both leaves little room to doubt that documents mandatory for setting up industries might have been issued without complying with the prescribed norms, mooted the source.

Consequent to the Committee's failure relevant mechanism for monitoring level of pollution from industrial units in the State is no more reliable and thus the Board has been reduced to performing as the license issuing outlet regardless of whether or not the industries are conforming to the guidelines, the source conceded.

On the otherhand, report has been received here that most of the brick-fields operational in the State have kiln that depend on coal, a fuel source which experts say emits one of the highest level of polluting materials.

As per norms laid down by MPCB, kilns are supposed to be 100 feet high with no gaps from the bottom to the top.

Moreover, a stack monitoring device should be installed at a certain height on the kiln whose top end should include a draught fan to minimise smoke.

Contrary to such norms there is remote chance of finding any brick farm complying with the guidelines, suggest the report not ruling out possibility of emitting harmful/toxic fumes exceeding permissible level.

Stating that 100-foot kilns for brick farms are specially designed to ensure that the fumes are released at a safer height, the report further cautioned that prolonged exposure to brick farm pollution will create serious health problems.

The immediate impact from faulty kilns would be on workers and people residing close to brick farms as they are more vulnerable to suffer from respiratory diseases, added the report.

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