West Bengal Environment minister Manas Bhuniya on Wednesday said the government has asked fireworks manufacturers in the state to start producing green fireworks as per prescribed norms of central agencies.
Bhuniya told reporters that as of now there is no green fireworks manufacturing unit in West Bengal and all green fireworks had been transhipped from fireworks units at Shivkasi in south India in the recent Diwali festival.
"As per directives of the high court, only green fireworks prescribed by two central agencies are allowed. If such fireworks meet all emission standards and cause minimum air pollution can be manufactured here which will help the local fireworks industry and even help them export their products outside the state. We will arrange all expertise and assistance to them," he said.
Bhuniya said the Environment department will soon hold a parley with the local fireworks manufacturer association in this regard.
The minister said the department also planned to plant tall trees along the inter-state border with Jharkhand, Bihar to prevent air pollutants from floating into West Bengal in winter and aggravating air quality, in association with the forest department.
"This will be a unique initiative not done anywhere else in the country in past. We had seen northerly winds during winter carry the pollutants from north India and worsen air quality here. Details about the plan and the tree species will be firmed up shortly," he said.
The minister said the Environment department will also deploy vehicles fitted with sprinklers along congested stretches of Kolkata, Bidhannagar, Howrah, Asansol, Haldia, and Barrackpore for reducing dust pollution, especially in construction sites by the end of this week.
"This had been done previously in Kolkata in 2019. We are now doing it on a bigger scale," he added.
The minister said with Christmas and New Year one month away the department will work towards monitoring and checking sound pollution
