Over 100 industries in state highly polluting

Nagpur: Here’s some toxic news for the state on World Environment Day — over 100 industries in the states are emitting deadly particulate matter much higher than the safe limit. Emissions of around 14 industries in and around Mumbai are 2 to 6 times more than the acceptable standard.
Latest government data accessed by TOI reveals that the highest number of worst polluting industries are in Aurangabad and Kalyan districts. Most of them are paper, chemicals and sugar and distilleries units.
The statistics are based on the star-rating programme, a first of its kind project jointly taken up by the MPCB, Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC-India) and other organizations. To provide information on environmental performance of the industries to public, the programme gives star ratings to the industries based on the median concentration of latest stack (chimney) samples for particulate matter (PM). A widespread air pollutant, it can cause respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and also lead to mortality.
As per the programme, the moderate limit for PM stack emissions is considered to be 150 milligrams per normal metric cube. Of about 308 industries being monitored in Maharashtra, which according to World Health Organization report is touted to be the country’s most polluted state after Uttar Pradesh, 111 fail to meet this standard.
Data shows that eight industries in Kalyan have one-star rating, indicating that the particulate matter emitted by these units is 250 mg/NM3 or more, which is nearly twice the safe limit. Among them, five are from chemical sector and one each from paper, textiles and food processing. In the data provided to TOI in April 2018, 29 out of 50 industries in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) were highly polluting.
The situation seems to have improved in Navi Mumbai where none of the 20 monitored industries are breaching the emission standard. Air pumped out of 17 industries comes under ‘very good’ and ‘good category’ while that of three is ‘moderate’.
Last year, the highest number of most polluted industries were in Thane. This year’s data shows that out of 13 industries, emissions of only two exceed the permissible limit.
On the other hand, emissions from few industries based in Akola and Raigad are nearly eight times more than the limit. In Nagpur, six out of 22 units are severely polluting.
If the prescribed standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) are considered — it varies for different industries — the violations in state become bigger. “As per the emission standards notified recently, the prescribed limit for industries like cement and steel can vary between 30-100 milligrams/NM3. Considering this value, many industries of the state are emitting PM at least 4-5 times more than the set limit. This is not just environmental but human rights crime,” said Sunil Dahiya, clean air campaigner from Greenpeace.
UNSAFE MATTER
* Particulate Matter emissions from 111 industries in state more than safe limit
* Pollutant causes respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and also lead to mortality
* Emissions of around 14 industries in and around Mumbai are two-to-six times more than the acceptable standard
* 8 industries in Kalyan highly polluting
KEY POLLUTING DISTRICTS
Districts----------No of industries monitored--------------------------Highly polluting
Amravati-----------3--------------------------------------------------------------- 0
Akola----------------2--------------------------------------------------------------- 1
Latur----------------10--------------------------------------------------------------10
Aurangabad--------29----------------------------------------------------------------21
Nanded-------------2------------------------------------------------------------------2
Chandrapur--------11------------------------------------------------------------- 0
Kalyan--------------- 16-------------------------------------------------------------- 12
Nagpur--------------25------------------------------------------------------------------ 8
Navi Mumbai-------20------------------------------------------------------------------0
Thane--------------- 13--------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
Pune----------------- 18------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
Pimpri Chichwad----6------------------------------------------------------------------ 4
Raigad------------------26-------------------------------------------------------------- 6
Kolhapur--------------28------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Solapur----------------- 15------------------------------------------------------------------ 5
* Main polluting industries in state are: chemicals, paper, sugar and distilleries, cement, power, textiles etc.