Kolkata, March 17 -- Atin Ghosh, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from Cossipore- Belgachia flagged off the issue of massive pollution resulting from cement loading and unloading in a Railway siding in wards 1 and 6 under his constituency. He urged the state Environment department to take measures to curb such high pollution in the area which is resulting in problems like COPD among the local people.
During the 'Mention' period in the state Assembly, Ghosh who is also the Deputy Mayor of Kolkata stated that lakhs of people live in these wards and three colleges, including one dental college, are situated there.
"The college authorities and the local people have time and again sought my intervention and the effect of the pollution can be felt even when a person drives through these places with the front glass of the car getting covered with dirt generated," said Ghosh.
He further said that Mayor Firhad Hakim who had gone to Cossipore to attend a programme also understood the effect of pollution there and dedicated special sprinklers for the area but the effect of pollution is still present.
"The health unit of the KMC has been getting patients suffering from pollution related problems," said Ghosh.
Ghosh's pollution issue was supported by Mayor Firhad Hakim who is also the state Urban Development minister. Hakim said that earlier the Railways took some precautionary measures during loading-unloading to check pollution but presently they have been indifferent.
"The common people should not suffer because of serious lapses on the part of the Railways who are doing business through such siding operations. The Railways need to be served a notice so that they should take measures," said Hakim.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.