Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology B. Ramanath Rai on Friday said that air pollution in cities had been the result of vehicular emission and the government was keen on containing it.
He was speaking after launching a mobile emission checking vehicle introduced by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) here.
Mr. Rai said while 60 per cent of the air pollution in urban areas could be attributed to vehicular emission, the rest was said to be the outcome of industries and other activities.
The focus was on checking vehicular pollution, the Minister said.
The KSPCB has introduced the mobile checking vehicle in association with the Transport Department, Mangaluru City Corporation and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd.
The Minister said that air pollution should be contained from the beginning itself and cited the example of New Delhi where the situation had gone out of control. Despite running vehicles on compressed natural gas, the situation had not improved in Delhi, he said.
“While many things could be bought, fresh air cannot be bought and hence controlling air pollution is the only option,” Mr. Rai said.
The Minister urged industries in the coastal region to utilise a major portion of their corporate social responsibility funds towards preserving environment. They should also focus on rejuvenating lakes and tanks, he suggested.
KSPCB chairman Lakshman, J.R. Lobo and B.A. Mohiuddin Bava, MLAs, MRPL managing director H. Kumar, Director (Refinery) M. Venkatesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests K.T. Hanumanthappa, MCC Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer, KSPCB’s Environment Officer Rajashekar Puranik, in-charge and senior RTO Ramesh Varnekar were present.
Earlier a ‘jatha’, comprising students, was taken out from the Light House Hill to Town Hall to create awareness about environment protection.
