Environment conservation is everyone’s responsibility: Minister S Raghava Rao

Visakhapatnam: Minister for Forests and Environment S Raghava Rao inaugurated a well-equipped advanced instrumentation laboratory with the financial assistance of the World Bank under the CBIPM project, here on Wednesday.

The laboratory was established at a cost of Rs 20 crore, enhancing the capacity of zonal laboratory to analyse ultra-low concentration of trace and toxic metals, volatile and non-volatile pesticide residues, dioxins and furans in addition to facilities available earlier for carrying out analysis of various environmental parameters.

The laboratory was also equipped with facilities for water quality monitoring of rivers, lakes and ponds, sea water, microbiological tests, effluent, solid waste and flue gas analysis. The minister also inaugurated two mobile laboratories, one for continuous ambient air quality analysis and another for on-site monitoring and analysis of air and water quality.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the government was making relentless efforts to bring a big number of industries to the State and everyone should feel the responsibility in the conservation of environment. Keeping in view of the environmental challenges in the coming future, in order to check the issues, a new laboratory and mobile laboratories procured, he said and added with these new facilities, on spot testing results would be created.

According to the parameters, 23.5 per cent of greenery should be maintained in the State, however, the government achieved 18 per cent only. The Chief Minister already directed the officials to achieve 50 per cent greenery by 2029 and an action plan was also drafted, he added.HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, APPCB Chairman BSS Prasad and APPCB Member Secretary Vivek Yadav also spoke.