New Delhi:
A nationwide study has revealed that the three most polluted cities in the country are Ankleshwar and Vapi both in Gujarat and Delhi's adjacent city Ghaziabad.
The study, has been conducted by IIT-Delhi along with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), ranking India's 88 industrial clusters on Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) on the basis of water, land and air pollution.
The study ranked industrial clusters on a scale of 0-100, based on their sensitivity towards the environment. The study found out that there were dangerously high levels of toxins and carcinogens in these three cities. Of the 88 cities, about 85 are critically or seriously polluted.
What made the environment ministry even more worried is that cities that are relatively clean have sounded the alarm bells with Cochin in Kerala and even Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh making it to the list.
The study has even prompted the environment ministry to seek drastic action. " I am of the view that we should have a moratorium on the expansion in critically polluted areas," said Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests.
These pollution hot spots will be closely monitored and the Centre is also planning to increase the number of areas under surveillance.
The majority of the areas surveyed were highly polluted and while the centre says that it will work with states to clean up, the hope is that this assessment will help kick start that process.
The study, has been conducted by IIT-Delhi along with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), ranking India's 88 industrial clusters on Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) on the basis of water, land and air pollution.
The study ranked industrial clusters on a scale of 0-100, based on their sensitivity towards the environment. The study found out that there were dangerously high levels of toxins and carcinogens in these three cities. Of the 88 cities, about 85 are critically or seriously polluted.
What made the environment ministry even more worried is that cities that are relatively clean have sounded the alarm bells with Cochin in Kerala and even Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh making it to the list.
The study has even prompted the environment ministry to seek drastic action. " I am of the view that we should have a moratorium on the expansion in critically polluted areas," said Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests.
These pollution hot spots will be closely monitored and the Centre is also planning to increase the number of areas under surveillance.
The majority of the areas surveyed were highly polluted and while the centre says that it will work with states to clean up, the hope is that this assessment will help kick start that process.
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