The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has got the much-needed push and emphasis in the last four years of AIADMK government. The department has become more pro-active and well-equipped now.
Since Tamil Nadu is one of those states witnessing rapid industrialisation, which brings along with it the ill-effects of pollution, the government has taken several steps and granted funds generously for the TNPCB to upgrade its infrastructure and monitoring systems.
The government has granted a whopping Rs 179.34 crore for 18 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Tirupur to achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD). Tamil Nadu has procured and distributed 86 PM 10 (particulate matter) instruments at a cost of Rs 1.28 crore and also five PM 2.5 instruments were given to TNPCB laboratories.
Early this year, TNPCB launched online consent management and monitoring system (OCMMS), which allows TNPCB to carry out online the consent management processes such as application scrutiny, raise inspection, raise clarification, submit inspection report, prepare consent order and forward consent order. In order to facilitate the industries to apply through OCMMS, TNPCB established a care centre in all of the 34 district offices.
To keep a close vigil on ambient noise level of Chennai city on a continuous basis, TNPCB has installed five noise monitoring stations at a cost of Rs 76 lakh in strategic locations like Old Washermenpet, Sowcarpet, Anna Nagar, Velachery and Pallikaranai. To monitor the water quality of the Noyyal river and Kalingarayan canal, the board has provided online continuous river monitoring stations at three locations in each water body at a cost of Rs 40 lakh.
The government has also taken pro-active initiatives in keep the officials and lower-rung staff of TNPCB motivated. For the first time, tablet computers were distributed to all the 34 district environmental engineers.
