CPCB Notifies Contaminated Sites | 11 Mar 2020

Why in News

  • According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), there are 128 sites in India contaminated by toxic and hazardous substances.
  • West Bengal led the list with 27 sites followed by Odisha at 23.

Incidents of Contamination

  • Oil contamination due to leakage of underground oil pipelines of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in Tamil Nadu.
  • Pesticide and heavy metal contamination in creeks at Eloor, Kerala.
  • Chromium contamination at Rania, Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, and Lohianagar, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Improperly disposed electronic waste lying on the banks of river Ramganga, Moradabad.
  • Mercury contamination of the soil at Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, and Ganjam, Odisha.

The Central Pollution Control Board

  • CPCB is a statutory organisation which was constituted in September, 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
  • It was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
  • Principal Functions of the CPCB, as spelt out in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
    • to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States by prevention, control and abatement of water pollution.
    • to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the country.

India’s Record

  • Independent organisations have warned that India has a poor track record in dealing with chemical accidents.
  • According to ToxicsLink, an organisation that deals with hazardous waste disposal, there have been four major chemical accidents recorded, on average, every month between 2016-2019 and several accidents are not duly recorded.
  • A committee constituted by the NGT in a report on the state of the management of hazardous waste (HW) in India noted that the inventory was not very comprehensive.

Source : TH