WB govt stresses on e-buses to protect environment: Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the state government has been emphasising on electric buses and ferries as modes of transportation to protect the environment and reduce air pollution.

Urging the people to strive to save green and stay clean, she said a programme has also been launched to spray water mixed with chemicals on the roads to counter dust pollution.

"Today is #NationalPollutionPreventionDay. Let us strive to 'Save Green, Stay Clean'. Our Govt in #Bangla is stressing on e-buses and ferries as modes of transport to reduce air pollution. We've also launched a programme to spray water mixed with chemicals to suppress dust on roads," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle.

The West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) has recently introduced a fleet of e-buses to connect the city to its suburbs and the department has plans to have as many as 5,000 e-buses by 2030, an official said.

These buses would help in brining down the per annum carbon dioxide emissions by 7,82,560 tonnes, the official of the transport department said.

In India, the National Pollution Prevention Day is observed on December 2 to remember those who had lost their lives in the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984.

In the intervening night of December 2-3 in that year, over 3,000 people had died breathing a poisonous gas, Methyl Isocyanate, following its leakage from a chemical plant in Bhopal.