Panel chalks out anti-pollution rules

Navi Mumbai and Chembur will soon have anti-pollution measures in place for industries operating in these areas.

Navi Mumbai and Chembur will soon have anti-pollution measures in place for industries operating in these areas.

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The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is in the process of preparing area plans for the areas. The plans will list the anti-pollution measures to be taken by the industries.

The move comes after a central government directive decided to block environmental clearances of projects coming up in Navi Mumbai, Chembur and four other places in Maharashtra — Dombivli, Chandrapur, Nashik, Aurangabad — with high levels of pollution.

On January 16, Hindustan Times had first reported that key projects awaiting environmental clearances like the Navi Mumbai airport, the Metro from Charkop to Mankhurd and the Trans-Harbour Link from Sewri to Nhava would be hit.

The directive, issued on January 13, said clearances for works in Navi Mumbai, which is among the “critically polluted” areas, stand blocked indefinitely, while projects in places such as Chembur, ranked as “severely polluted,” will not get a nod for the next eight months.

It also asked the state pollution control boards, in collaboration with the Centre, to finalise a time-bound action plan for improving the environment in industrial areas, following which the situation will be reviewed periodically.

“We have decided to prepare separate plans for the affected areas as per the directive. This will include measures to curb pollution,” said MPCB Member Secretary Manish Pathak.