New pollution authority

MUMBAI, July 8: If Mumbai's polluted air left you with enough energy to complain, soon you would have a new authority to throw a fit at.Unio...

MUMBAI, July 8: If Mumbai8217;s polluted air left you with enough energy to complain, soon you would have a new authority to throw a fit at.

Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Suresh Prabhu, today revealed that the Central Government had decided to constitute an independent authority under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act-1986 EPA to control pollution in the city. The authority, he said, would function under the direct supervision and control of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests MoEF and would be called Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority for Mumbai.

Prabhu was speaking at a meeting convened by the governor, Dr P C Alexander, to discuss an action plan for environmental management. Also present at the meeting were the chief minister, Manohar Joshi, senior officials of the state government and BMC. Representatives of a few non-governmental organisations too were in attendance. The minister said the authority would have powers to take up any matterrelated to city pollution suo moto or on the basis of complaints made by any individual or organisation. Such complaints could be against any individual, association, company, public undertaking or local body. He said the authority would be vested with powers under the EPA to issue directions against any violation of environmental norms. It would have the powers to issue orders against non-permissible discharge of pollutant, any violation of no-industry zone or that of norms pertaining to environmental safeguards.

For controlling vehicular pollution, the authority would take all necessary steps to ensure compliance of specified emission standards by vehicles, including proper calibration of the testing equipment. The authority would also ensure compliance with fuel quality standards, monitoring and coordination for traffic planning and management. Regarding noise pollution, the authority would be responsible for ensuring the specified ambient noise standards and would have powers to ban or restrict anyindustry or activity violating noise pollution norms, the minister said. The authority would also have powers to enter a premises, inspect, search, seize and take samples under the EPA. For non-compliance of its orders the authority would have powers to move competent judicial courts. The MoEF has also decided to bring out a white paper on pollution in Mumbai along with an action plan. The minister said the plan would cover various aspects of pollution control including vehicular and industrial pollution, sewage treatment, solid waste management and handling of hazardous substance. The action plan would stipulate implementation of a time-bound programme entailing co-ordinated inter-departmental strategy, the minister added.