Ukhrul, Mar 5: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today stressed the need for both Meghalaya and Assam governments to address the issue of air pollution.
He however emphasized the need to first take stern action against industries within the state violating the rules and thereby contributing to air pollution in the state. He said that so far industrial units have been closed down for violating the rules.
“I am sending a strong and firm message to all industrial units that the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) is going to conduct a surprise check. I have given a standing order to the MSPCB to conduct surprise checks and take action,” Sangma said in his reply to a call attention moved by NPP MLA from Jirang Sosthenes Sohtun on a CPCB data which revealed that Byrnihat is persistent with very poor air quality.
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He informed that as many as seven industrial units have been closed down for flaunting the norms leading to air pollution.
“Therefore, surprise checks will continue and wherever we find that any industrial unit is flaunting the rules, the government will take firm action against them,” Sangma said.
Further, the chief minister informed that he would be writing to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the need for the two states to address the issue of air pollution.
“The two states and two pollution control boards must work together and we have taken steps towards that,” he said.
“However, before we approach the Assam government, we have to take strict action against our own industrial units that are violating the laid down rules,” Sangma added.
Also, the chief minister called upon the local community to partner with the government to minimize the different aspects of pollution.
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(Newmai News Network)