LD Engineering College profs to help reduce pollution in Rajkot

Professors of the department of environment engineering at the LD Engineering College made recommendations to Ahmedabad-based foundries, on how to reduce air pollution levels.

Following the success of this initiative, the Rajkot Industrial Association has invited the department's professors now, for the same reason - to help reduce air pollution caused by foundries in the city.

The association hopes to get help from the Ahmedabad-based college's professors in reducing pollution, as per the recommendations made by the Pollution Control Board.

The professors are scheduled to visit Rajkot next week. Recommendations made by the professors to foundries in Ahmedabad included installation of proper combustion machines and usage of coke with a higher version of coal.

Head of the department of environment engineering, professor GH Ban, said, "Air-field pollution levels in areas like Odhav and Naroda, where these foundries are based, have considerably decreased after the recommendations made by the professors were implemented.''

Other recommendations that foundries in Ahmedabad have followed, include maintenance of charging doors used by workers.

"The health conditions for workers posted at charging doors are not conducive, and lead to a lot of health problems. Hence, installation of chimney-like combustion machines is a necessity,'' said professor Ban.

He added that air pollution control equipment, designed for reduction in pollution levels, has also been installed at these foundries.

Ban said that the recommendations made by the professors of LD's environment engineering department have been acknowledged by Supreme Court-appointed environment monitoring committees as well.

"With the implementation of the professors' recommendations, the air-field pollution level in these foundries at Ahmedabad has come down to 150 mg,'' said Ban.

He said that the air-field ratio of 150 mg is also what the pollution boards recommend.

As per norms, professors of the environment department work under the capacity of Schedule- I environment auditors. "As environment auditors, it is our job to give recommendations on bringing down air pollution levels,” said Ban.