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Zoning atlas for siting of industries on environmental aspects - A case study of district Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
What is Zoning Atlas ?
The Zoning
Atlas for siting of industries, zones and classifies the environment in District
Ghaziabad and presents the pollution receiving potential of various sites/zones
in the District Ghaziabad and the possible alternate sites for industries
through easy-to-read maps in the scale of 1:2,50,000. The methodology involves
preparation of maps of various themes viz. Characteristics of the District
Ghaziabad, Air pollution, Water pollution etc. and uses of overlay procedure
& GIS ( Geographical Information System ) for arriving at sites which are
most suitable for industrial development. The scale for preparation of various
maps is selected as 1:2,50,000 (1cm = 2.5km).
Zoning is a legalized and
institutionalized form of land use management. It entails geographical
delineation and classification of lands into several categories i.e. zones by a
duly authorized regulatory agency with the effect that for each of the different
zones their use is regulated. The objectives of preparing a Zoning Atlas for
siting of industries are :
- to zone and classify the environment in a District;
- to identify locations for siting of industries; and
- to identify industries suitable to the identified sites.
With an
objective of promoting sustainable and planned development, the Uttar Pradesh
Pollution Control Board in consultation with Central Pollution Control Board -
Delhi has prepared the first Zoning Atlas for Siting of Industries (based on
environmental considerations) for District Ghaziabad, under pilot phase with the
help of GIS. This document is now a public priced document, which is available
with Central Pollution Control Board - Delhi, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control
Board - Lucknow and the Environmental Planning Cell at Regional Office, Uttar
Pradesh Pollution Control Board - Meerut.
Benefits of the Zoning Atlas
The Zoning Atlas, in addition to
streamlining the decision-making process has several benefits some of which are
briefed below:
- provides a ready-reckoner for best suitable site and relevant environmental
information;
- makes decision-making process simpler, faster, realistic, transparent and
reliable;
- provides a basis for incorporating environmental aspects into physical (land
use) planning process that is lacking in the country;
- helps in planning cost-effective pollution control measures and programs ;
- helps an entrepreneur in readily finding out the location best suited to
site an industry thereby saving time, efforts, investment and risk instead of
heading for an unknown site, conducting environmental impact assessment and
awaiting clearance by the regulatory authorities;
- helps develop infrastructure facilities, such as roads, water supply,
electricity etc. and provide common waste treatment and disposal facilities;
- helps check additional pollution in the areas already over-stressed with
pollution;
- ensures that pollution potential of an industry is made compatible with the
local conditions of the site;
- ensures that an industry, with high pollution potential desiring to locate
in a high risk area, will have to adopt clean technologies for manufacturing
process so as to prevent generation of wastes/pollution thereby making it
compatible with the receiving environment;
- helps in increasing awareness of the public on type of industries and nature
of pollution anticipated in their neighborhood well in advance; and
- helps achieve sustainable development.
A Tool for
Decision-making
The Zoning Atlas for siting of industries will help in
decision-making at various levels including the Government ? Central &
State, the industry, the regulatory authorities and the general public. The type
of decisions that can be taken at various levels are :
- The Government :
- Notification of industrial area;
- Decision on the type of industrial development;
- Restriction of growth of certain industries in specific areas.
- The Entrepreneur :
- For location of an industry, economic factors such as availability of raw
materials, water supply, electricity, labour etc. and the environmental factors
are to be considered. From the Zoning Atlas, an entrepreneur can find out the
suitable locations in District and then work out feasibility and economic
viability of siting industry in these locations. Accordingly, a decision can be
taken on the best suitable location.
- The Regulatory Authorities :
- Decision on the suitability of an industry to a particular site;
- Notification of site specific standards;
- Provision of common pollution treatment and disposal facilities;
- Plan well in advance pollution monitoring and control programs.
- The Public :
- The public through the Zoning Atlas, will know the locations of industrial
development, the type of industries that are likely to come up and the
anticipated pollution in their neighborhood.
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