Industries to play major role in solving global warming

Kolkata, Jun 05 (UNI) Issues like global warming are no more problems of environmentalists but people from all sectors, including industrialists, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said.

Addressing a seminar on 'Global Climate Change:Issues&Challenges for India' on the occasion of World Environment Day, Mr Bhattacharjee said the increased emission of Green House Gases(GHGs) is expected to trigger global catastrophe.

''I don't know much about the GHGs but am trying to understand more of it,'' he said adding that ignoring climatic change will eventually damage economic growth and irreversible impact from climate change associated with business-as-usual (BAUs) paths for emission.

He further said India was in the danger list and the state's Sunderbans would be submerged in the coming years if the situation was not solved soon thereby hitting agriculture followed by unpredictable diseases and weather.

''Every year thousands of students come out with professional degrees. They want industries and so we are in the process of industrialisation but at the same time our aim is to protect the environment,'' he said adding that lots of foreign and private companies, especially manufacturing units, were interested in investing in the state.

'' We can't break the rule of the nature. We are bound to go for industrialisation but simultaneously protect the wetland, water bodies and wildlife,'' Mr Bhattacharjee added.

Indian Chamber of Commerce, which organised the seminar along with Jadavpur University, had implemented a project on the industrial disaster management called Environment Risk Reporting and Information System(ERRIS) in the state's industrial towns of Haldia and Durgapur. State Environment Minister Sailen Sarkar said the government had decided to create a climate cell to check the amount of carbon dioxide emitted.

Mr Sarkar also informed that he would hold a meeting with the transport ministry on June 14 to convert petrol autorickshaws to CNGs adding that the state pollution control board had decided to increase the thickness of the plastic carry-bags to 40 microns from the existing 20 micron.

He also stressed on solid waste management to control environmental pollution.

UNI