New Delhi: To check pollution at rail
sidings during loading, unloading and storage of industrial
material, the Central Pollution Control Board is preparing
guidelines for handling them in an environment-friendly
manner.
With increase in such activities at the rail sidings- a short stretch of railroad track used to store rolling
stock - environmental stress is also on rise, the Board noted.
"The guidelines aim at ensuring environmental
management of railway sidings for handling of industrial
material," CPCB chairman SP Gautam said.
He pointed out that once the guidelines are finalised
it would be easy to convince the state pollution board to
follow suit which would in turn would become mandatory for the
agencies and companies using rail sidings.
Development of such standards essentially depends on
the understanding of actual/ realistic data/ information for
the concerned industries, which are located or are operating
in different parts of the country.
The decision comes following frequent complaints
regarding pollution due to loading and unloading of industrial
materials at railway sidings.
"In general the environmental problems arise due to
improper storage, collection, transportation and disposal of
waste generated, noise pollution, air pollution (dust
particles, fugitive emission), untimely operation etc.," a
senior CPCB official said.
The material most involved in the railway sidings are
coal, ores, cement etc. The handling of such material is
invariably associated with fugitive emissions from the
loading or unloading operations and all associated activities
such as movements of trucks, workers etc., he noted.
PTI
