WBPCB starts distribution of gas iron to curb pollution
Kolkata: In a bid to curb pollution, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) on Wednesday kicked off the process of distribution of gas iron to replace coal iron used for the purpose of ironing of clothes under Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate area. Burning of coal by the wayside eateries for cooking and coal iron have been identified by NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) as a major contributor to the deterioration of air quality index in Kolkata and the non-attainment cities like Howrah, Asansol, Raniganj, Durgapur, Haldia and Barrackpore.
The WBPCB is providing the iron along with a 5 kg cylinder to those who earn a living by ironing clothes. "The switch over to gas iron will not only be economical but will also be safe in terms of health parameters. Gas iron doesn't cause pollution," said Rajesh Kumar, Member Secretary of WBPCB.
Chairman of WBPCB, Kalyan Rudra, said on an average a person associated with coal iron spends Rs 200 per day for coal to iron 150 clothes. Once they use the 5 kg cylinder, they will have to spend Rs 40 per day for the same quantity of clothes. The cylinder will come at a price around Rs 400. The WBPCB in presence of state Environment minister Saumen Kumar Mahapatra handed over gas iron to 10 beneficiaries from the PCB office at Bidhannagar.
The Bidhannagar Commissionerate has made a list of 160 beneficiaries, who will be provided with the infrastructure for gas iron by the Board. The police stations are working on identifying more beneficiaries.
"Gradually such gas iron will be handed over to all those associated with ironing of clothes,"a WBPCB official said.
Since last year, 3,000 eateries using coal 'chullahs' for cooking have been given gas cylinders by PCB.