WBPCB asks housing societies to earmark 20% of total area to plant trees

Kolkata: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) on Saturday asked housing societies to earmark 20 per cent of their total area for planting trees to increase green cover. WBPCB Member Secretary Rajesh Kumar during a programme of Indian Chamber of Commerce said that the housing societies must also think about organic waste disposal in a proper way. "Housing societies are requested to earmark 20 per cent area for green cover," Kumar said in an audio message.

He also advocated setting up of solar panels in each housing society to find out if even one per cent of electricity can be saved at their places.

The WBPCB official pitched for having organic waste composters in every housing society, particularly large ones, to dispose of the organic waste generated in every household.

Kumar said that the WBPCB would also request industrialists to keep one-third of their total land left for planting trees. Claiming that West Bengal was the pioneer in introducing auto-rickshaws run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a green fuel, Kumar said that the state is already operating electric buses to check vehicular pollution.

"In recent times, 80 electric buses were given to the state transport undertaking by the WBPCB from its budget," he said, adding that more buses can be purchased.

Kumar said that as part of the move to phase out over 15-year-old commercial vehicles, the WBPCB has decided to provide around Rs 1 lakh each as a subsidy to 1,000 vehicle owners.