ET: Govt’s own study has conceded that many tivers flowing across state are polluted beyond measure:

 MAHARASHTRA’S scant regard for environment can’t get starker than this. Union minister Jairam Ramesh’s opposition to the proposed Navi Mumbai airport on environmental concerns may just be the tip of the iceberg. What’s is startling is the state’s own study has conceded that rivers flowing in 300 villages, 14 municipal councils and three municipal corporations are polluted beyond measure.

   Jairam’s purported snub of the state government just shows the manner in which sensitive ecological issues are being handled here. Rampant conversion of agricultural land, massive and irreparable destruction of mangroves and lackadaisical approach in enforcing its own rules have all been dogging the state for quite some time now.

   “We haven’t been able to implement as simple a decision as a ban on plastic bags recommended by various committees after Mumbai sank in July 2005 deluge,” said a government official, associated with polluting industries and other related issues, requesting anonymity. The state government had appointed a fact-finding committee led by Madhav Chitale, a hydrologer of global eminence, to recommend measures to avoid a repeat of July 26, 2005, when 944 mm rain virtually drowned the city. “We will now mark the fifth anniversary of the deluge. But the recommendations of the said expert committee still remain unimplemented,” the official said.

Worse still, the recent study has highlighted how a majority of state rivers are grappling with toxic elements, thanks to unchecked flow of chemicals. “Unfortunately, all rivers in the state are polluted. Based on the study report of these rivers, we are contemplating action to be taken against these industries,” said Maharashtra minister for water supply and sanitation, Lakshman Dhoble, while reacting to the report. The issue about polluted rivers was raised during the last Assembly session following which the Speaker directed the state to come out with a detail report on the same.

Coming to the Navi Mumbai airport, the Union environment ministry has taken serious note of complaints of local Alphonso mango growers and warned a private power producer to shut its proposed plant in Ratnagiri if its operations impact fruit production adversely.

The mango growers had approached the ministry after a not-so-enthusiastic response from the state government. The ministry has also made it clear to the company that it will have to reduce power generation and switch to a fuel with low sulphur content or close the power plant if SO2 emissions exceed the prescribed standards. The ministry even went to the extent of setting up a panel to monitor the impact of the proposed 1,200-mw coalbased plant’s operations.

That’s not all. Another recent study by the Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) is critical of severe pollution affecting the state’s northern coast. According to the study, the northern coastline is a shadow of its former self due to rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and lack of control over dumping of chemicals and pollutants into the Arabian Sea, especially in and around Mumbai.

A month before, the Centre made its intentions clear by labelling some of the cities in the state “no industry” zones as the state failed to rein in pollution levels. “This all shows how careless we are about the environment. Many a time in the past few months, the Centre was seen stepping in to stop damage to ecology,” the official said.

* Thane creek bares the brunt of pollution

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