No report is available with by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) or Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on adverse effect on the cultivable land and the health of people due to red coloured water found during excavation at many places in Ankaleshwar on account of industrial pollution caused by the chemical industries.

The review of work conducted by various agencies working to control pollution in Ankleshwar is being done on a regular basis by the concerned Departments of the State Government of Gujarat and the Central Pollution Control Board. The details are as follows:

      i.        After the declaration of Ankleshwar Industrial cluster comprising of Ankleshwar and Panoli estates amongst  “Critically Polluted Areas” by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in December, 2009; a comprehensive Action Plan for the cluster has been drawn.

     ii.        A dedicated Regional Office for Ankleshwar region has been established by GPCB in June 2010 for effective monitoring of Action Plan.

    iii.        A three fold monitoring system has been institutionalized including an independent third party monitoring team in Ankleshwar.

   iv.        Common Effluent Treatment Plants and a closed pipeline for disposal of treated effluent have been commissioned resulting in stoppage of flow of industrial effluent into the surrounding drains and the quality of groundwater in surrounding area has reportedly improved over a period of time.

This information was given by the Minister of State for the Ministry of  Finance Shri Namo Narayan Meena who is in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests  in a written reply to a question by Shri Mansukh Bhai D. Vasava in Lok Sabha today.

KP