Moratorium extended on projects in polluted clusters
By IANSTuesday, August 31, 2010
NEW DELHI - The environment ministry Tuesday announced that it will extend the moratorium on developmental projects in critically polluted industrial clusters till Oct 31.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 43 industrial clusters in various states as critically polluted, based on the parameters related to incidence of pollution in water, land and air.
The government imposed a temporary moratorium Jan 1 on consideration of developmental projects, including the projects in the pipeline for clearance, in these clusters till Aug 30. The states were asked to submit to the CPCB by July 31 a remediation plan to check the pollution.
“Of the 43 critically polluted industrial clusters, we have received remediation action plans from 27. The CPCB has evaluated nine of these. The moratorium has been extended to Oct 31,” said Ramesh.
He said that several states have started implementing remediation plans and the ministry will soon lift the moratorium on these clusters.
