The city based 150 textile processing units has implemented emission trading scheme (ETS) project. With the help of Gujarat Pollution Control Board(GPCB) this ETS is launched for the first time in the country. Under this system, a daily measure of suspended particulate matter (SPM) being emitted through chimneys of these units will be measured in real time. This hi-tech system will help to control air pollution and the unit owner who gets maximun emission credit, will be able to reap economic benefits.
The trial of ETS project workshop was held at Kevadia Colony near Bharuch district. Regular real-time monitoring of particulate matter (PM10) per milligram per normal metre cube (mg/NM3) will take place under this project. Industrial units polluting the air must not violate the prescribed norm of 150 mg/NM3 at any time under ETS. To measure this, a specialized device will be placed on the chimneys of the textile units. This device will be connected directly with boiler section of the mills to give real-time emission data to the servers of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and individual users.
This project is being initiated by ministry of environment and forest and climate change (MoEF&CC), Government of India and started by Government of Gujarat. The GPCB is the nodal agency for the project under which the units have been divided into small, medium and large categories. A small unit has been made to pay deposit of Rs2 lakh, medium unit Rs3 lakh and large unit Rs10 lakh for joining ETS.
Jitu Vakharia, the chairman of South Gujarat Textile processors Association(SGTPA) said, Any unit violating the emission norm of 150mg/NM3 will have to buy extra amount credit, permit from those units that have not transgressed. The units will be able to trade their permits which each other.
