Question : COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER

(a) whether the Union Government has conducted a nation-wide comprehensive environmental assessment of industrial clusters in the country;

(b) if so, the findings thereof including the number of industrial clusters found critically polluted, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government proposes to link level of environmental pollution to public health;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the action taken or being taken by the Union Government to improve the environment in these areas including the funding mechanism under the action plan?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI JAI RAM RAMESH)

(a)&(b) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has developed a Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI). CPCB has done a nation wide environmental assessment of Industrial Clusters based on CEPI and 43 such industrial clusters having CEPI greater than 70, on a scale of 0 to 100, have been identified as critically polluted. The State-wise list of critically polluted areas is annexed.

(c) & (d) The CEPI is linked to public health in terms of presence of toxins and their concentration, exceedence factors, impact on human health and level of exposure.

(e) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has undertaken the task of preparation of Action Plans to improve the environmental quality in these critically polluted areas. Financial assistance for establishment of common treatment facilities such as Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Treatment Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) and expansion of the Natural Ambient Air and Water Monitoring networks is available under the existing schemes of Union Government.