Gujarat Govt to initiate Climate Change department,VOC monitoring this year
The Government of Gujarat’s Environment and Forest department will start monitoring of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) around industrial clusters in the state from this year.
Gujarat’s Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala has sanctioned Rs. 20,00,000/- for VOC monitoring in the state budget, this week.
The Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds that vaporize and disintegrate in the atmosphere. VOCs are sometimes accidentally released in to environment and likely to damage soil and ground water. Vapors of VOCs escaping in to air contribute to air pollution. Methane and other VOCs are extremely efficient Greenhouse Gases which contribute to enhance global warming. Due to development of industrial clusters mainly chemical where various sectors of industries are emitting VOCs, need has been felt to monitor the VOCs in and around such clusters in the State.
In another major initiative, the Government of Gujarat has declared to open new Department of “Climate Change” to combat the issue of Global Warming and Climate Changes. Proposed department will ill take up “Climate Change” related activities in Co-ordination with other Department. For research, Awareness generation, Ecological balancing, Environmental Education etc. an amount of Rs. 5,00,00,000 has been sanctioned in the budget, presented by state Finance minister this week.