Chhattisgarh Ranks First in the Country in the Field of Environmental Improvement

• 27 Nov 2021

Why in News

According to the recently published report of India Today magazine, Chhattisgarh ranks first in the field of environmental improvement in the year 2021, achieving great success in the direction of management of air, water pollution, solid waste and conservation and promotion of forests.

Key Points

• According to the published report, the state of Chhattisgarh is ranked first in the year 2021, being 17^th in the year 2018, 6^th in the year 2019 and second in the year 2020. Similarly, according to the India State of the Forest report, there has been an increase in the forest cover of the state.
• The state of Chhattisgarh is full of minerals like iron, coal, dolomite, due to which mineral based industries have expanded in the state. With the establishment of these industries, while the income of the people of the area has also increased, on the other hand the challenges of air pollution, water pollution and solid best management are also being met.
• To check the air quality in the atmosphere, 18 air quality stations have been set up by the state government.
• Micro action plans have been prepared under the National Clean Air Program in the three major municipal corporations most affected by air pollution - Raipur, Bhilai, Korba. The amount of sulfur in the air has come down to 37 percent. It was 26.02 micrograms in 2016, which decreased to 16.34 micrograms in 2020.
• Similarly, the daily nitrogen dioxide concentration has also decreased by 17 percent. It has come down from 24.11 micrograms to 19.88 micrograms.
• Similarly, under the Water Quality Monitoring Program, the state government has set up 27 stations to check the quality of water in 7 major rivers of the state. In these, the water of 5 major rivers- Kharoon, Mahanadi, Hasdeo, Kelo and Shivnath has been found potable. Apart from this, 10 stations are being built to check the quality of water.
• Out of about 28.8 million population of Chhattisgarh, 6 million people live in urban areas. About one thousand 650 tonnes of solid waste is collected daily from urban areas. The Mission Clean City program is being run by the state government in the entire state.
• Decentralized waste segregation and recycling model is being successfully implemented in Ambikapur. In Balodabazar district also, separate facilities have been developed for the disposal of harmful waste. Similarly, 4 units are also proposed for the disposal of biomedical waste.
• Recently, the President has honored Chhattisgarh as the best cleanest state in the country. Chhattisgarh ranks first in terms of cleanliness in the country for three consecutive years.
• The state of Chhattisgarh is covered with 44% forests, this is also helping to reduce the effects of greenhouses, while plantation has been made mandatory by the government in 30 percent of the industrial area.