PATNA: Bihar State Pollution Control Board member secretary S Chandrashekhar said that the government of Bihar is currently preparing an exclusive environment plan for all 38 district of the state in order to address local environmental problems.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 to be a specialized judicial entity to handle environmental issues in the nation, directed all states and Union Territories, in 2020, to create a state plan for the environment based upon the district environment plans. The district environment plans must be submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board, which will forward them to NGT. Once NGT approves it, the department for forests, environment, and climate will create a state plan based on the district plan.
Chandrashekhar reported that BSPCB had engaged an agency for survey in all the districts in order to prepare the district-environment plan. The agency has now begun the work.
The district plan is designed to address local needs and requirements. Each area has a different type of problem. The plan must be tailored to local needs. We need to first have information about the pollution in different areas of the state. Then, we can prepare strategies for improvement. Chandrashekhar stated that we have hired an agency to do this work.
He said that October 2021 was the deadline for district environment plans, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdown, and other factors, things were delayed. The agency has already begun to work on the district plan as it must be submitted in three months.
He said that the CPCB will send the fact findings and strategies for improvement to NGT. NGT will then forward them to him.
The State Pollution Control Board contracted the agency to conduct district plans. It has already begun a survey of the type of pollution in the area, its sources, and the impacts on the environment and life. The environment plan will include strategies to prevent pollution and to reduce pollution. The plan will also include the name of the officials responsible for monitoring the implementation and their responsibilities.
The district environment program must address waste management, solid waste and biomedical waste, demolition waste, hazardous wastes and electronic wastes.
Rakesh Kumar, an environmentalist based in Patna, stated that the state has experienced high levels of air pollution. According to the Smart Air Analysis 2021, Muzaffarpur and Patna were among the 20 most polluted areas in the country. This was based on the PM 2.5 AQI (Air Quality Index). 2021 India Pollution Data.
He said that Patna’s PM2.5 levels were 16 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO-recommended limit) of 5 microns. He also said that Muzaffarpur had a high level of PM2.5 pollution. According to the environmentalist, air pollution is the leading reason for deaths and diseases in the country. He added that PM 2.5, which are very fine particles, often gets into the bloodstream and causes severe health problems.