Draft policy formulated to tackle environmental issues

“We have formulated the draft highlighting various concerns and the steps which need to be taken to address various issues of the state,” said Yashpal Singh,Director,Environment Directorate.

“Beside issues concerning noise and air pollution,we have also included issues which concern forest,wildlife,water resources,causes of pollution and its solutions,” said Singh.

The draft expresses concerns over the depleting groundwater in cities like Lucknow,Kanpur,Aligarh,Varanasi,Mathura and Ghaziabad.

According to the draft,the research and development in technologies to remove harmful elements like arsenic,fluoride and nitrate from drinking water in villages need to be looked into. It states the need for conservation of ponds and water bodies by increasing their capacity and making them free of encroachment.

The draft stresses the need for the formulation of a forest management plan and extensive plantation,pointing out that the state has 7 per cent forest cover,but digital mapping has shown that it was actually only 5.86 per cent.

Cities like Lucknow,Kanpur,Agra,Anpara,Gajraula,Ghaziabad,Varanasi and Noida have high levels of air pollution. The suspended particulate matter in all these places was found to be higher than the permissible level of 200 microns per cubic meter. The UPPCB has found that of the 2,872 industries, only 1,479 comply with the air pollution norms.  

The scenario of water pollution is no different. Of the 3,600 lakh litres effluent discharged on daily basis in Kanpur, the city has the capacity to treat only 1,600 lakh litres. In Lucknow, 26 drains discharge 3,200 lakh litre effluent daily,but only 420 lakh litre per day can be treated.