The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board is to be strengthened to address the challenges posed by increased industrialisation in the State.
Moving the demand for grants to the Ministry of Environment, the Minister Mr T.K.M. Chinnayya, said in the Assembly that with the rapid growth of new industrial units in the State it was necessary to utilise newer technologies to address the problem of pollution and effluent treatment.
The challenge has to be faced by the manufacturing units and the agencies that need to ensure compliance by the industry.
New centre
A centre for implementing modern technologies to tackle pollution will be created at a cost of Rs 5 crore.
This Centre will work with academic, and research and development institutions to introduce the latest measures to control pollution .
The number of cases being filed against the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the polluters is also on the increase.
The legal division of the board will be strengthened to handle such cases in the courts and environment tribunal, which is proposed to be set up.
The Coimbatore Centre of the TNPCB will be bifurcated with an additional office to come up in Coimbatore North at a cost of Rs 40 lakh.
Each district centre can monitor up to 1,500 industrial units effectively.
But the Coimbatore office is now monitoring more than 2,500 forging, dyeing, electroplating and other highly polluting units.
Two teams to monitor the industrial units in Manali, Cuddalore, Ranipet and Coimbatore will also be created in the TNPCB. These teams will be based in Chennai and Coimbatore.