Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 5

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today announced the “buyback non-recyclable polythene” scheme on fixed price from rag pickers and launched WaPIS (Water purification invigorative scheme) to depollute the Sukhna Nullah (Parwanoo), the Markanda river (Kala Amb) and the Sirsa river (Baddi) to treat polluted water on a pilot basis.

The drive was launched after the National Green Tribunal had pulled up the state pollution regulator, Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh authorities, IPH Department and local civic bodies for polluting the rivers.

Pollution in these rivers has crossed all permissible limits, making these biologically “dead” as industrial muck, sewage and junk end up in these rivers. The pollution regulator planted 10,000 trees last year and now it will plant over 1.60 lakh saplings of 38 varieties of pollution-absorbing trees to increase the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level in these rivers, revealed a scientist.

The Chief Minister also donated ‘pattal’ and dunna’-making machine to ‘Muskan’, a women self-help group of Ghumarwin. He also launched new bags made by the Department of Environmental, Science and Technology and flagged off an environment awareness rally in which around 600 students of 30 schools of the town participated.

He also unveiled a book “Compilation of best practices on environmental excellence” and gave away prizes to the winners for their valuable contribution to conservation and sustainable development in the state. The awards included a citation, memento along with Rs 50,000 as first prize and Rs 25,000 as second prize.

Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Science & Technology and Chairman HP State Pollution Control Board, RD Dhiman, was also present.

The pollution regulator also organised an exhibition on air, water pollution and waste management. The visitors were shown how to make compost, poly-bricks, cow dung-made pots. They were shown how outdoor and indoor plants could help combat pollution and the plants were sold to the visitors.

NGT snub behind the efforts