The Bengal Chamber presents Discussion Forum on Ecological Sustainability in the Industrial Region*

This was the sequel of the inaugural edition held in Durgapur on 10th February 2017 at Citi Residenci, focusing on Durgapur – Asansol Industrial Belt.

The Chamber, over the last several years, has been providing a relevant and sustainable forum towards promoting clean technology access and energy and environment management. It has endeavoured to focus on sustainable development and to disseminate information and educate business, industry and civil society about the importance and need of balancing industrial growth with ecological stability.

The Chamber believes that addressing the environmental impacts in the industrial region is the need of the hour.

The objective of the Discussion Forum was to bring together the stakeholders of Haldia Industrial Region, Policy Makers and Industry Leaders to brainstorm and share the best practices and cutting edge technologies to take forward the industrial development of the State with adequate fortification towards vulnerability of ecology. The imitative is to bring to light the best practices to aid industrial growth in the appropriate way.

Sutanu Ghosh, President, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry said, “City of Haldia, located in East Midnapore, is an important destination in the industrial map of West Bengal. With industries as varied as agrichemicals, chemicals, petrochemicals, manufacturing, energy and oil refineries, it has reaped considerable success as far as development is concerned. But to sustain any long term development one has to move forward glove in hand with implementing measures to keep the delicate ecological balance intact or it can be upset at any stage of progress and ultimately prove detrimental to normal life. So as a continuation of our efforts to address the industry - environment balance, where our first endeavour was in Durgapur, we wish to stress the same here in Haldia, which is another area of our interest.”

The Haldia region due to industrial activity is prone to polluting the air and water. Dangers of hazards of liquid chemical effluents is there, so utmost care in implementation of safe practices to minimize the hazards of releasing industrial by products is of paramount importance not only for civil life but ocean life as well. The ocean is the greatest reservoir of life.

Recent times have witnessed rapid industrialization, urbanization which is often unplanned.  This causes changes to environment and ultimately it impacts the biodiversity and human life by altering basic necessities and ecological functions. On one hand economy and industry is needed for any nations’ growth and progress but the flip side is in the race to reach with the first world countries smaller nations often overlook in planning to safeguard the environment by employing the right procedures.. This result in quick and irreparable damage to the environment, resulting in loss of animal species and reduction in their count and making natural resources unfit for healthy cycles.  Primary reasons for ecological imbalance are lack of cooperation and more competition, uncontrolled exploitation and utilization of resources, environmental pollution, inappropriate management of waste, population explosion, etc.

Debasis Jana, Director (Planning), Andrew Yule & Co. Ltd., addressed the attendees about his company and how pertinent it was for him to share his views to the forum. He stated that Andrew Yule & Co. Ltd. Is a PSU company has been providing turnkey based commissioning solutions for water, waste water and effluent treatment plants  Equipped with domain knowledge and latest technologies Andrew Yule & Co provides wide range of solutions in water treatment and waste water / effluent treatment plant since it’s a leading player  in design, engineering, supply , construction , commissioning of plants. He added that Engineering Division of Andrew Yule & Co. Ltd., a pioneer in introduction of air pollution Control equipments in India since 1980, has achieved another milestone after recent commissioning of the clinker cooler especially at the Tandur Cement factory of Cement Corporation of India Ltd., for their 3000 TPD Cement Plant on 3rd October, 2016.

Other prominent participants who graced the forum were Aloke Mookherjea, Past President, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Saiful Islam, First Secretary (Commercial), Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, Kolkata, Prof.(Dr.) Manabendra Nath Bandyopadhyay, Director, Haldia Institute of Technology, *Dr. S.C. Santra*, Kalyani University (Environmental Science), Dipti Ranjan Behra, Head-CSR, CESC Limited,  Tarun Kr. Pan, Chief Operating Manager, Exide Industries Limited, Haldia, Amitava Das, General Manager & Head HSEF, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd., G C Kundu, Chief General Manager (H,S & E), Haldia Refinery, Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

So importance of active waste management, recycling practices and proper effluent treatments are the keys to minimizing the damages caused due to industrialization. Industries should grow but not at expense of bio diversity. So technologies that are available should be used by concerned body to preserve the health of the environment.