Pune: NGT Orders CPCB To Frame Rules On Odour Pollution Within A Year
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In a significant move, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench in Pune has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to frame rules and regulations within a year to address odour pollution caused by chemical industries.
The directive comes after an application by Mumbai-based activist Rajiv Sinha highlighted the odour pollution issues caused by units at Taloja MIDC, which houses several chemical, pharmaceutical, and engineering plants.
The NGT cited a 2008 report by a CPCB-constituted expert committee, which recommended steps to mitigate odour pollution. However, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) pointed out that the CPCB adopted these recommendations as mere guidelines, failing to specify rules and regulations defining standards for odour pollution control.
The tribunal has issued recommendations to the Taloja MIDC, including installing necessary systems within six months and aerators and screening mechanisms within 18 months. The MPCB has been directed to pursue the matter of waste at CIDCO dumping ground with Mumbai Waste Management Ltd. and CIDCO.
The CPCB has been tasked with framing rules and research work within a year, as the implementation of these recommendations requires specific regulations. In the meantime, the existing recommendations will continue to be followed.
The CPCB’s 2008 guidelines on odour pollution state that odour is a sensory response to chemicals in inhaled air, affecting air quality and potentially leading to nausea, headaches, and stress-related symptoms. The board considers odour pollution the most complex air pollution problem, requiring ambient standards and source-specific standards for odour emission from industries.
