To curb transborder pollution: State plans to hold meet with neighbours

KOLKATA: The state government is planning to hold a regional meeting with some neighbouring states and countries in Kolkata some time in the middle of next year for preparing a strategy of an inter- state approach in curbing transboundary pollution.

The issue was flagged off at a recent international level meeting on pollution at Kathmandu which was attended by Roshni Sen, Principal Secretary of Bengal Environment department and Chairman of West Bengal Pollution Control Board Kalyan Rudra.

The meeting, which saw representation from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal as well as Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Bengal was organised under World Bank's initiative.

"We will prepare a note on how to proceed with this inter state approach and seek permission from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for holding this regional meeting,"Manas Bhunia, state Environment minister said on Monday.

The robust air quality monitoring network set up by the state government and the various measures taken for curbing air pollution was appreciated at the international conference and the need for adopting a city based air shed approach for further reducing pollution in seven non-attainment cities in the state was discussed.

A study initiated by WBPCB which has been conducted by IIT Delhi has identified that 30 to 50 per cent of pollutants come from outside Bengal.

"Our location is at the tail end of the Ganga Basin so the pollution of the Ganga is on the higher side with garbage being carried from the source upto the confluence. Similarly dust from the Indo Gangetic plain easily gets transmitted via the borders which augments air pollution in Bengal," a senior official of WBPCB said.

It has been found through the monitoring stations that in bordering areas of Hili in South Dinajpur or in Bankura where there is less movement of transport or functioning of industry, the pollution level is reasonably high.

"We will soon distribute smokeless chulhas in Asansol- Durgapur for curbing pollution,"Sen said.