Bengal develops new mechanism to control pollution in Industries

Kolkata, Aug 7 (UNI) The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) has introduced a new mechanism to check pollution in industrial houses.

The mechanism- Environment Compliances Monitoring and Control System (ECMCS), a mandatory device- primarily to be installed in all sponge iron units to check pollution level, according to WBPCB chairman Dr Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

The ECMCS, developed by WBPCB with technical inputs from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), would check pollution by keeping watch on the electrostatic precipitator (EPS), which controls the carbon content, Mr Bandyopadhyay told reporters here today.

He said the mechanism, a must for all sponge iron units in the state, is first of its kind in India.

Explaining details of the device, he said the entire plant would be closed down in case the EPS is shut down by the industrial unit for saving power. The plant could be reopened only with the password from the pollution control board, Mr Bandyopadhyay said.

"We are placing the new system,costing Rs one lakh for a chimney, in 40 sponge iron units in the state. The system has already been placed in large sponge iron units like SPS Group of Companies and Shyam Steel. The system will be placed in 17 other units, which are coming up in Jamuria in Bardhaman district," he said.

"The installation of the new device will be made mandatory in all sponge iron units and clearance will not be given if the system is not in place," the WBPCB chairman said.

WBPCB, which owns the intellectual property rights (IPR) of the new device, would provide the new mechanism to pollution control boards in Orissa, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

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