Minister for Social Welfare, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Bali Bhagat today inaugurated a newly constructed pollution control division office-cum-laboratory at Industrial Infrastructure Development Centre Kathua.The building has been constructed by SICOP at an estimated cost of Rs.30 lakh. The building also houses a laboratory for carrying out basic tests to monitor environment pollution.MLA Kathua Rajeev Jasrotia, MLA Hiranagar Kuldeep Raj, J&K SPCB, Chairman, Abdul Razak, Chief Conservator Forest Jammu, Roshan Jagi, Additional District Development Commissioner Kathua, Secretary, J&K Pollution Control Board, Vashu Jadav, President of Industrial Estate Kathua and senior officers of various departments were also present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister stressed on the role played by the PCB in regulating the activities of the industrial units in accordance with the environmental norms.
While highlighting the role industries in the economy of the state and in employment generation, the Minister exhorted upon the industrialists to ensure that their units comply with the emission norms prescribed under the environmental laws.The Minister said that the new office building will facilitate the unit holders in processing their cases under environmental laws and also ensure proper monitoring of effluent/emission standards in the industrial estate.The Chairman of Pollution Control Board informed that the facilities in the district office lab will be augmented so that the basic tests can be carried out in situ.
Later, the Minister also held on an interactive session with the prominent entrepreneurs and the citizens and discussed various issue like harvesting of khair trees, relaxation of norms of the consent mechanism for different categories of industries, employment to local youth in industrial units and relocation of saw mills to micro-industrial estate.MLA Kathua highlighted the plight of farmers who are awaiting the notification of rules for harvesting of khair trees.The Minister assured the gathering that he will expedite action in the issues highlighted and said that the government is committed to provide all basic amenities to the people for which development projects are being implemented. He said that equitable development of all the regions with special attention to peripheries of the city has been accorded high priority.