'Vizag not critically polluted'

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Sep 24, 2013: Amidst furore by environmentalists, NGOs and green warriors on increasing levels of pollution, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), has declared Vizag, not a critically polluted area. The MoEF also lifted moratorium, it had imposed in 2009, on the industrial expansion in Vizag, along with 9 other industrial clusters across the country. The latest development is likely to accelerate the expansion and growth plans of many local major industries.

Until now, at least 15 industries had put their expansion on hold due to the moratorium, imposed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), after it found that Vizag industrial cluster comes under critically polluted category as the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) was above 70, out of a total 100 points.

The areas having aggregated CEPI scores of 70 and more are considered  as critically polluted industrial clusters/ areas, whereas the areas having CEPI between 60-70 are considered as severely polluted areas. While the severely polluted should be kept under surveillance and pollution control measures be efficiently implemented, the critically polluted industrial clusters/ areas needed further detailed investigations in terms of the extent of damage and a formulation of appropriate remedial action plan.

CPCB conducted monitoring in the critically polluted areas during February-April 2013 and reassessed the CEPI score and evaluated that in 10 cities, including Vizag, CEPI score was below 70 and had depicted a decreasing trend as compared to CEPI score assessed by CPCB in 2009 and 2011 and lifted the moratorium on last Wednesday.

The CEPI was computed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi with various parameters like pollutant concentration, impact on human health and level of exposure for the calculation of pollution indices for air, water and land (ground water).

The CPCB in collaboration with IIT, Delhi has applied the CEPI for environmental assessment of 88 Industrial Clusters across the country in 2009. 43 such industrial clusters having CEPI greater than 70, on a scale of 0 to 100, have been identified as critically polluted. 

In 2009 Vishakhapatnam’s air pollution was 57.00, water- 57.50, land 55.00 while the overall CEPI was 70.82.

“This is a welcome gesture. With this all the existing industries which have put their expansion plans on hold will begin their work. There will be increase in production and it will be an advantage for the ancillary units and the employees depending on them. Many new ventures will also come up,” said Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Vizag chapter, chairman, G Sambasiva Rao.