With a nudge from the Government, 17 groups of polluting industries have come forward to take up some voluntary action to reduce pollution. Though these would not be punishable under any law and some of them go beyond notified standards, the Government is optimistic that they would be implemented.The “Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environment Protection” was released by the Environment and Forests Minister T.R. Baalu and the Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Balasaheb Vikhe Patil.The monitoring agencies would be the State and the Central Pollution Control Boards. Corporates have been asked to furnish a bank guarantee that would indicate the commitment to the action plan. Since many of them would also require heavy investment, the Government has allowed them to have a time-bound plan.The measures to be taken by the industry include modernisation and upgradation of production process, waste minimisation, recycling wastes and improving housekeeping practices. Baalu, in his address, said his Ministry was interacting with the Ministry of Finance to provide fiscal incentives for pollution control systems and clean technologies. Custom duty on clean technologies like membrane cell technology used in caustic soda units had been reduced to five per cent from 15 per cent. The industry was using mercury cell technology which was harmful for groundwater.Representatives from polluting industries like cement, aluminium, thermal power plants, oil refineries, pesticide and fertilisers, pulp and paper, copper, zinc and tanneries deliberated on the issue before coming out with the charter.
