Thaindian News

Kolkata, July 8 (IANS) Urging industries to make greater use of environment friendly technology, the West Bengal government Friday said it would extend all support to eco-friendly projects but come down heavily on those flouting green norms.

“There is a need for growth of non-ferrous metal industry in the state. For that more conventional energy is required. But the conventional mode should be transferred into environment friendly technology,” said state Environment Minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar while addressing at the 15th International Conference of Non-Ferrous Metals here.

“Industries should be transparent and should abide by the law. We want business, industries and the environment to co-exist and my government will extend any type of facilities if the industrialists want to set up industries in the state,” said Dastidar.

The minister said his department would not spare anyone who sets up industries by flouting the norms fixed by the state Pollution Control Board (PCB), which looks into environment related issues.

Research is the key for ushering in newer technology and there is a need for more and more research to have more environment friendly technology, he said, asserting that the government would give incentives to investors for setting up indigenous research based industries.

“For the development of the country and to compete with the other developed countries it is necessary to do research in the indigenous technology rather than borrow foreign technologies,” said the minister.

He also said his department has undertaken a drive to make the state free of hazardous plastic.

“We have already banned use of plastic that causes heavy pollution. My department officials are holding a month-long programme to generate awareness among people. We have already identified the sources of such kind of plastic and very soon would enforce the rules to stop their manufacturing and circulation,” added Dastidar.