'The increase in the number as well as expansion of industries has resulted in greater emissions of these harmful gases,' environment minister Jairam Ramesh said during Question Hour.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 17 categories of highly polluting industries which may emit harmful gases, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
"The increase in the number as well as expansion of industries has resulted in greater emissions of these harmful gases," environment minister Jairam Ramesh said during Question Hour.
The categories of such industries include fertiliser, chlor-alkali, pesticide, pharmaceutical, petroleum oil refinery, integrated iron and steel plant and copper and zinc smelting units, he said.
Ramesh said the government has recently notified the National Ambient Air Quality Standards with respect to 12 pollutants including gases like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and ammonia.
"These gases are obnoxious in nature and may be harmful on
inhalation with prolonged exposure depending upon their ambient concentration," he said.
These gases are emanated from industrial, agricultural and other anthropogenic activities, he said.
The minister said the Centre has identified various categories of industries emitting harmful gases and notified source specific emission standards under the Environment Protection Act 1986.
"Following the Bhopal gas tragedy, government enacted this Act with provisions to deal with hazardous substances. We have promulgated rules which allow government to deal with such wastages," Ramesh said.
In response to a supplementary, he said, "Government has been proactive since the tragedy. We have set up 25 facilities for storage and treatment and incineration of such substances. Eight more such facilities will also be set up. We hope that such tragedies never occur again. We are doing our best to minimise effects of such tragedies (in case they happen)."
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