Telangana’s Patancheru-Bollaram a ‘Critically Polluted Industrial Cluster’: CPCB
By Amritha Mohan Published on 23 Nov 2019 1:30 AM GMT
Hyderabad: Central Pollution Control Board has categorised Patancheru-Bollaram, the industrial hub of Hyderabad, as ‘critically polluted’, as per data obtained in 2018.
The Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) released by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) studying industrial areas in 2018 found out that Patancheru-Bollaram industrial area comes under ‘critically polluted’ category with a CEPI score of 75.42.
The report also specifies the status of air, water and land environment within the industrial area. The water environment under Patancheru-Bollaram comes under ‘critically polluted’ category with a CEPI score of 70, while the air environment comes under ‘severely polluted’ category with a score of 56. However, the land environment in these areas is categorised as ‘normal’.
A CEPI score higher than 60 shows a critical level of pollution, whereas a score between 50 and 60 shows a severe level of pollution regarding the respective environmental component.
Telangana’s industrial region ranks 29 among 38 industrial areas in the country that have been classified as Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) by the Central Pollution Control Board.
Meanwhile, Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh ranks 45th with a CEPI score of 68.04, which is classified as ‘critically polluted’. While the status of water and the land environment in Vijayawada is normal, the air environment has been categorised as ‘critically polluted’.
Pollution in Patancheru-Bollaram has been increasing over the years
The data shows that pollution in the Patancheru-Bollaram industrial area has been increasing over the years, despite moratoriums being placed on them. While the CEPI score for 2009 was 70, it increased to 74.58 in 2011, and further rose to 76.05 in 2013.
The most polluted industrial area is Tarapur in Maharashtra, which has a CEPI score of 93.69. It is closely followed by Najafgarh in Delhi (CEPI 92.65) and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh (CEPI 91.1). All these three areas have ‘critically polluted’ air and water environments.
The pollution body carries out CEPI monitoring biennially, which was done during 2009, 2011 and 2013. By 2018, CPCB completed the environmental quality monitoring based on revised CEPI criteria in association with SPCBs/PCCs by engaging four approved laboratories in 100 identified industrial clusters across the country.
The study was put forward in the Lok Sabha in response to a question asked on ‘Critically Polluted Industrial Clusters’ on November 22.
