Haryana CS asks pollution control board officers to compile monthly reports for respective areas

Chandigarh, Sep 19 (PTI) Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad on Thursday directed the regional officers of Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to compile monthly pollution and environmental reports for their respective areas.
     Presiding over the meeting of regional officers of HSPCB here on the occasion of golden jubilee of the Board, Prasad also directed the formation of a working group comprising key stakeholder departments, including health, transport, industries, town and country planning, urban local bodies, development and panchayats, and public health engineering.
     The group is tasked with addressing at least 50 pollution hotspots throughout the golden jubilee year, an official statement said.
     He also emphasised the need of interdepartmental coordination to enhance pollution control efforts and ensure a cleaner environment for the people of Haryana.
     Prasad highlighted the growing importance of addressing environmental pollution in light of increasing economic activities and the need for a proactive approach to ensure a sustainable future while fostering economic growth.
     Chairman of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, P Raghavendra Rao, provided a comprehensive overview of the Board's journey since its inception in 1974.
     He said that while the Board was originally established to tackle water pollution, its activities have significantly expanded over the years to address a broader range of environmental challenges.
     Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Sudhir Rajpal, emphasised the need to delegate the responsibility of biomedical waste collection and disposal to multiple agencies to enhance system effectiveness.
     He also proposed reducing the operational coverage of these agencies from the current 75 kilometers to improve service efficiency.
     It was informed in the meeting by the officials that the HSPCB has taken a series of measures to address air pollution in preparation for the upcoming winter season.
     The board has implemented several initiatives aimed at improving air quality across the state, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR), they said.
     To bolster air quality monitoring, Haryana has installed 29 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) across the state, with 21 located in NCR districts. Additionally, 46 manual stations are operational to ensure comprehensive air quality assessment, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)