The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-Delhi) has carried out survey based on Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) for assessment of pollution load of industrial areas in 88 major industrial clusters in the country and 43 such industrial clusters having CEPI greater than 70, on a scale of 0 to 100, have been identified as critically polluted. These include Vapi and Ankleshwar of Gujarat. The CEPI score of Ankleshwar and Vapi were found to be 88.50 and 88.09 respectively.  Details of these areas along with their CEPI Score are as below:

The Ministry of Environment & Forests issued a moratorium on 13.1.2010 for 43 critically polluted industrial clusters including Vapi and Ankleshwar, restricting environmental clearances for new polluting industries/ projects till 08.08.2010 which was further extended till 30.09.2011. For improvement of environmental quality in these polluted clusters, Gujarat State Pollution Control Boards (GSPCB) has prepared Action Plans. These Action Plans have been reviewed by CPCB. Based on the approval of action plans and initiation of implementation measures on ground, the moratorium has been lifted on 26.10.2010 for the Vapi Industrial cluster. Shri Mansukh Bhai D. Vasava

             This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question by Shri Nandi Yellaiah in Lok Sabha today.

        KP