Pollution costs dear
a recent World Bank (WB) study has estimated that environmental damage costs the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government Rs 3,259 crore per annum on human health. This is four per cent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP). The impact of industrial and agricultural pollution on water quality works out to Rs 68 crore in monetary terms.
Revealing these facts at an international conference on industrial pollution control technologies in Hyderabad, state minister for industries K Vidyadhar Rao said, "The WB study also put the total burden of disease, measured by loss of years of productive life in AP from environmental threats, at 15 per cent. Of this, the industrial and agricultural pollution impact was 0.4 per cent.'
The department for international development (DFID) of the UK and the WB will undertake a strategic environment assessment aimed at upgrading environmental practice and enforcement. A computerised database of 4,000 polluting industries has been created by the AP Pollution Control Board.