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Gotcha! State wants to keep a GPS eye on debris dumping
Concerned about construction waste polluting the sea.........Linah Baliga The state environment department and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) are exploring the idea of having a GPS monitoring system to track dumping of construction waste into the sea and creeks by private transporters.
After receiving several complaints from activists, about how the narrow coastline of Mumbai city was being clogged by construction debris and the high level of water pollution caused due to it, a meeting was held by Sachin Ahir, minister of state for environment, and Mahesh Pathak, member secretary, MPCB, recently.
Taking a cue from how GPS technology is helping track chemical waste dumped by pharmaceutical companies into the sea, Ahir said the same technology could be used for trucks dumping construction debris into the sea and creeks.
"All waste generated by chemical and pharma companies was supposed to be dumped into the Central Affluent Treatment Plant, where it is treated and discharged into the sea. However, trucks used to dump it elsewhere. So, now there's a GPS tracking system, www.tracko.com, a monitor given centrally to the divisional officer of MPCB. We have made it compulsory for these truck transporters to install GPS systems or they aren't allowed to carry chemical waste. We are considering the same system to track construction waste," Ahir said.
However, environmentalists feel there should be a simpler system of penalising truck owners.
"How are they going to track dumping by private trucks? A simpler system would be to impose a strict penalty on those caught dumping. It's a much stronger deterrent. Publish a complete directory on the MPCB website showing which trucks have been prosecuted, what is the punishment meted out to them and details about the truck, the ownership and on whose behalf they were dumping. That's a simpler solution," said Rishi Aggarwal, Mumbai Social Environment Network.
* Tracking trouble
The GPS system: A receiver will be fitted on all trucks carrying debris. This will record details of where the truck is moving at all times. This vehicle-tracking system records the entire trip right down to the second. The monitoring office will be equipped with a special software, and a map with the names of dumping locations. The GPS equipment is plugged to the computer after the vehicle reaches the base and the details of the trip downloaded. |
