Kolkata, Mar 22 (PTI) The West Bengal government on Wednesday asked all firms, involved in utilising bio-resources, to formally intimate the state biodiversity board about their way of functioning as part of the effort to regulate the sector.
Environment Minister Manas Bhuniya told a press meet here that manufacturers of biological resource-based drugs, industrial enzymes, food flavours, fragrances and beauty products like cosmetics will have to come under some sort of regulatory mechanism and cannot act independently.
“We have already issued letters to 250 such firms, having business interests in the state, asking them to let us know about their operations and only 24 have responded so far. We hope others will also follow suit,” the minister said.
Failure to reply to the letter will invite penal action, the minister added.
An estimated 400 such firms are there in the state and the bio-diversity board will be in touch with the remaining 150 as well.
The state government has asked the state medicinal plants board, various departments and local bodies in rural and urban areas also to furnish details of such firms within a given time frame, he said.
Bhuniya said to prevent pollution of water from faecal contents, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) is collaborating with IISER, Kalyani, for using a microbial content which will eliminate coliform bacteria and purify the water.
“We have achieved more than 80 per cent success by using this technology in ponds at WBPCB office premises. We would like to use this in some other water bodies to see the result and if we are successful, it can also be used in solid waste management to contain the emission of gases like methane,” he added.
Bhuniya said to prevent fine air-borne pollutants from crossing over to West Bengal from states like Jharkhand, especially during winter, the environment department will start planting plants from Jhargram to Birbhum along the inter-state border from June.
Plants to be used for the purpose will include karabi, akondo, bakul, chhatim, nim and palash.
“We have been told by experts that the plants will act as a natural barrier stopping finer pollutant particles flying into the state,” the minister said.
Asked about the death of three persons at an explosion in a cracker unit in South 24 Parganas district recently, Bhuniya said a meeting will be held on March 31 to be attended by officials of the departments of environment, fire services, police and others to chalk out an action plan on how to prevent such incidents using certain safety guidelines.
“The meeting will also pave the way for setting up a cluster for Green crackers conforming with all guidelines of the Centre about noise and air pollution and safety standards,” he said.
Bio-diversity board chief, Principal Secretary (Environment) Roshni Sen and WBPCB Chairman Kalyan Rudra were present at the press conference. PTI SUS NN
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Source: The Print
