Unchecked vehicular pollution causes concern

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Pollution Control Board, Meghalaya Institution of Natural Resources, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority and the Team Environment” of the CII’s Young Indians (Yi), Meghalaya Chapter came together to organise a voluntary vehicle checking and cleaning drive along the Short Round Road (FCI-Polo-Golf Links) here on Friday.
The initiative coincided with the observation of the first anniversary of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan.
During the checking, one diesel and a petrol run car was found to exceed the vehicular emission limit out of a total 14 diesel and 43 petrol run cars tested.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Chairman of YI, Meghalaya Chapter, Tarun Lyngdoh bemoaned the fact that vehicular pollution is not checked in Meghalaya resulting in increasing air pollution in the state.
“Luckily, industries are not around,” he added.
Dr. Brembly Lyngdoh, Project Development Director, Worldview International Foundation who was promoting a signature campaign, which will later be sent to the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma,   emphasized that there should be a change in the pollution policy to make mandatory checking of all vehicles.
According to him, the goal of pollution checks is to control excessive vehicular emissions and to push for stringent law to check dangerous emissions.
He observed that the green house effect is taking its toll in Shillong due to air pollution in the city. He also mentioned that Shillong has the highest density of cars in the country.
While checking of cars was done on a voluntary basis, drivers had to shell out Rs 70 to the Meghalaya Pollution Control Board for the exercise.
Officer on Special Duty, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority, L. Shabong, who also took part in the event, while talking about the marten at Mawiong said, “There should be means to reduce the pressure at marten,”
He lauded the Shillong Municipal Board in its effort in segregating bio-degradable and non -biodegradable wastes.