Bengal plans 800-km ‘green wall' along Jharkhand border
In an ambitious move to combat pollution, Kalyan Rudra, Chairman of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, announced a project to create an 800-km 'bioshield' — a forested area that would act as a 'Green Wall' — along the Jharkhand border to intercept pollutants entering Bengal. He also highlighted Kolkata's recent recognition as one of the country's cleanest metropolises.
The announcements came at a special session, 'Fostering Climate Consciousness — Business and Beyond', hosted by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce on the eve of World Environment Day.
The Green Wall will be a green corridor of forest cover along the State's 800-km northwestern border with Jharkhand. The bioshield will start from the Jharkhand border and extend up to Birbhum and Dinajpur districts of West Bengal. The trees will take over a decade to grow.
'We are proceeding in phases,' Mr. Rudra said. 'It will intercept a part of these pollutants entering Bengal. It will take about a decade to grow, but when fully grown... people who go to see the Chinese wall will come to Bengal to see a green wall that we have been able to create.' He also encouraged businesses to participate in this plan.
The proposed bioshield, Mr. Rudra said, is part of a larger effort to reduce in-situ pollution and mobilise industry participation in sustainable practices. The panel also underscored Kolkata's recent achievement of being recognised as one of the cleanest metropolises in the country, a result of collaboration between the pollution control board and Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
However, Mr. Rudra also recognised that winters in Bengal are marked by heavy air pollution, unlike the relatively clean air during the summer and monsoon seasons.
The session on the eve of World Environment Day brought together multiple experts on pollution to emphasise the need for on-ground action and the urgency to implement change beyond symbolic gestures. Swati Nandi Chakraborty, environment consultant, drew attention to the hazards of plastic pollution and the need for bioplastics as a viable, sustainable alternative to combat the rising issue of microplastics and nanoplastics, which are known to impact humans and animals alike.
'We have hardly heard about bioplastics,' she said. 'But they could work hand-in-hand to create a techno-socio-economic response to plastic waste.'
Citing the harmful health effects of microplastics, from respiratory issues to gastrointestinal damage, Dr. Nandi called for strict local implementation of plastic regulations and mass advocacy for sustainable materials, including awareness programmes. She also insisted that policy-level changes can help bring about a bigger impact on pollution levels and plastic usage.
Aniruddha Mukhopadhyay, Professor in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Calcutta, highlighted that behaviour change requires community level engagement, especially from students to bring about bigger impact and long-term change. 'New pollution-control technologies are being implemented that are being monitored by regulatory agencies. Regulatory agencies are doing very well in that direction and many more things can be done, and there is a genuine consciousness amongst the common people that it is very important,' Mr Mukhopadhyay said.
The experts reiterated that the business community has a pivotal role to play, saying climate conscious business in the contemporary world is crucial for sustainable growth. But the experts also stated that real climate consciousness must extend 'beyond boardrooms' into homes, schools, and streets. As Mr. Rudra reminded, 'No pollution control board or chamber can achieve success alone. It should be a people's movement where every citizen comes forward.'
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