ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Aiming to bring in better adherence to environmental pollution norms, the Prakash Javadekar-led Environment ministry now plans to use real time violation alerts as evidence against defaulting industries.

To ensure there is legal backing to this “technology backed evidence” of violating environmental norms, the Environment is also set to amend the Environment Protection Act and incorporate provision on the new proposed law on civil penalties, the minister told ET. Still further, acting on these alerts, the ministry will start issuing closure notices to defaulting industries and central teams will fan out to take samples from those found violating from 1st April.

In a bid to check rising pollution levels, the Environment ministry had last year identified 2, 800 industries for installation of 24×7 monitoring devices backed with a a sms alertsystem to sound out alarms when any industry pollutes over the prescribed limits for more than 15 minutes. Since December 2015, the ministry has received over 2,000 such messages and counting.

“We are doing this to tighten screws on those violating environmental norms. We believe in Ease of doing responsible business not in business as usual. Of the 2800 industrial units of critically polluting sectors, 2400 have already installed 24*7 pollution monitors that give real time information on effluents and air pollution emitted and send out alerts whenever standards are violated. We already have 2,000 plus messages and have decided to take cognizance of these real time message alerts”, Javadekar told ET.

Lok Sabha Elections#Elections With

AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States

Congress gets Lovely jolt in Delhi amid poll fever

PM adds fuel to Cong’s redistribution row, says party will eye properties of others but not of Waqf board, minorities

‘India does not become an electoral autocracy if Yuvraj cannot get power’: PM Modi

Election Commission issues notification for sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls