Biggest state has become the best in terms of environment: Chhattisgarh

Mining of mineral resources like coal, iron ore and dolomite, of which Chhattisgarh is a major producer, has given a big boost to mineral based industries in the state and has increased the income of the people. Although this has made air and water pollution worse and has posed challenges to solid waste management, the Chhattisgarh Environment Protection Board (CESB) has been at the forefront of tackling the problem.

The government has set up 18 ambient air quality stations. Raipur, Bhilai and Korba, the three major municipal corporations most affected by air pollution, have prepared micro action plans under the National Clean Air Programme. Average daily sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentration in the air has fallen 37 percent, from 26.02 g/m3 in 2016 to 16.34 g/m3 in 2020. Daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations have decreased by 17 percent from 24.11. g/m3 to 19.88 g/m3 in this period.

The state has set up 27 water quality monitoring centers on seven major rivers under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. Of these, the water quality of five major rivers – Kharun, Mahanadi, Hasdeo, Kelo and Shivnath – has been found to be potable. Another 10 stations are being made operational.

Of Chhattisgarh’s 28.8 million people, about six million live in urban areas. Urban centers generate about 1,650 tonnes of solid waste per day. The government has launched Mission Clean City across the state based on the successful decentralized waste segregation/recycling model at Ambikapur. There is a separate facility in Balodabazar district for disposal of hazardous waste. Four units are in the pipeline to handle biomedical waste.

41 percent of the state’s forest area acts as a sink for greenhouse gases. It is mandatory that 30 percent of any industrial area should be under plantation. According to the India State of the Forest report, the forest cover increased marginally from 41.12 percent to 41.14 percent between 2015 and 2019.