5 CNG stations in Patna soon: Sushil Modi

PATNA: Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who also holds the environment and forest department portfolio, on Thursday said in the legislative council that Patna would get five compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in four months.

While replying to questions raised by RJD MLC Ramchandra Purbey and CPI MLC Kedarnath Pandey on increasing pollution in the state capital and use of diesel and petrol-run vehicles as well as vehicles older than 15-year-old, Modi said average annual PM 2.5 level in the city was 122.51 mg/per cubic metre in 2016, 116.15 mg/per cubic metre in 2017 and 118.16 mg/per cubic metre in 2018.

He said dust along roads, burning of solid waste in the open, use of coal and cow dung cake in household were mainly responsible for air pollution in Patna and elsewhere in the state. He said 200 new pollution checking centres would come up in Patna and it has been made mandatory for all the petrol pumps and service centres to procure pollution under control certificate.

JD(U) MLC Reena Devi raised the issue of lack of toilets for women cops and difficulties they face while performing duty. Energy department minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said work on construction of toilets at 25 places in Patna for women cops were going on in full swing.

‘Ghost’ bungalow: RJD MLC Subodh Rai on Thursday said in legislative council that leader of opposition in state assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will not shift to 1, Polo Road bungalow where “ghosts” reside. To this, deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said he had stayed at the same bungalow for 15 years without any trouble.