ABATEMENT OF POLLUTION

Realising the deteriorating air and water quality, increasing vehicular emission and higher noise level, the Ministry adopted a policy for abatement of pollution which provides multi-pronged strategies in the form of regulation, legislations, agreements, fiscal incentive and other measures.

An “Eco-mark” label has been introduced to label consumer products that are environment friendly. So far, the government has issued 19 notifications on different products criteria. A network of 332 Ambient Air quality monitoring stations covering 25 states and 4 Union territories has been set up by central pollution control board in coordination with the state pollution control Boards/Pollution Control Committees and institutions for carrying out regular monitoring.

Under National Air quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP), four air pollutants viz., Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen as Nox, suspended particular matter (SPM) and Respirable Particulate Matter (RSPM/M10), have been identified for regular monitoring at all the locations.

CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
The Central Control Board (CPCB), an autonomous body of the ministry, was set up in September 1974, under the provisions of the water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, It coordinates the activities of the state pollution control committees (PCCs), and also advises the Central Government on all matter concerning the prevention and control of environmental pollution.

Seventeen categories of heavily polluting industries have been identified. They are: cement, thermal power plant, distilleries, sugar, fertilizer, integrated iron and steel, oil refineries, pulp and paper, petrochemical, pesticides, tanneries, basic drugs and paharmaceuticals, dye and dye intermediates, caustic soda, zinc smelter, copper smelter and aluminium smelter.