‘Environment plans need to be enforced’

The Union and state governments should enforce strict implementation of the Environment Management Plan (EMP) along with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes by mining and mineral based industries for maintaining a better environment in their respective areas. The execution of the EMP and CSR programmes, in order to achieve better results, should be monitored by a high power committee, recommended scientists, environmentalists and experts from different fields commended on Wednesday. The high-level committee should consist of the experts in the area and the representatives of government, concerned industry and the local communities, they said. The recommendations follow a two-day national symposium on “Environment Management of Mining & Mineral Based Industries” under the chairmanship of noted scientist and former director general of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Dr P.K. Jena. During the deliberations, scientists agreed on the point that an integrated mine area development programme should be made compulsory for every mine.