Telangana to set up Clean Air Authority to abate pollution levels

Hyderabad: A Clean Air Authority would be set up soon in Hyderabad on the lines of Clean Authority of Tokyo to look into the planning and implementation of ways to abate pollution levels in the city.

The authority, comprising heads of all government departments, would be headed by the Chief Secretary, a release issued by the Telangana government said here.

After his recent visit to Japan, state Minister for Municipal Administration K T Rama Rao has been contemplating setting up a similar authority for Hyderabad city as well.

A preliminary meeting to work out the modalities of the proposed authority was held today. The meeting was presided by the Secretary, Municipal Administration, Navin Mittal and several other officials attended it, said the release.

While the Pollution Control Board (PCB) would function as a regulatory and enforcement agency, the proposed Clean authority would look after planning, coordination and implementation, Mittal said.

The PCB's Member Secretary, who was present on the occasion, briefed about the Tokyo clean air authority which was set up for management of solid waste and generating power out of waste, the release said.

"During the course of the deliberations, it was felt that the proposed authority should have statutory powers. It was also felt that the proposed authority should not only confine to air pollution but also include noise and water pollution as well," it said.

A committee has been constituted to prepare a concept note and submit it by February 15. The committee would prepare a note on the creation of a model act, define structure and jurisdiction of the proposed authority.

The contributory factors of pollution, rules of solid waste management and the guidelines of the Tokyo clean air authority would also be studied for preparing the concept note, the release added.