CPCB to fund mass awareness drives, better monitoring

New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has decided to spend a major portion of its green fund towards generating awareness among masses on pollution and strengthening the monitoring system, officials said on Friday.

The apex pollution control body has garnered about Rs 71 crore since August 2016. The fund was raised by imposing a one per cent cess on dealers selling diesel cars with engine capacity of 2000cc and above in the Delhi-NCR region, in line with a directive of the Supreme Court.

"The major focus area is to strengthen the monitoring system, mass awareness through media or agencies and augmentation of the infrastructure requirements in NCR like sweeping machines, as unlike Delhi they don’t have enough funds," CPCB Member-Secretary A. Sudhakaran told IANS.

He added that besides strengthening the monitoring system, like installing more stations and upgrading the technology, the research and development as short-term projects were also being focused on.

Expecting the amount to increase to over Rs 80 crore by March this year, the CPCB has already sanctioned seven projects worth Rs 10.7 crore.

"We have received 39 projects as of last week. Of these, 29 projects have been shortlisted," an official said.

To evaluate the efficiency of technology offered by the projects or prototypes, CPCB has also approached the Department of Science and Technology, he added.