PCB directed guild to maintain environmental norms in Kolkata book fair

West Bengal Pollution Control Board has shot a letter to the Publishers and Booksellers guild directing “strict compliance of environmental norms” in the International Kolkata Book Fair which commenced on Monday after being inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The guild has been asked to send an action taken report to board by February 15.

The order was passed after green civil society platform Sabuj Mancha has urged PCB to take urgent measures against the violations about plastic carry bags and noise norms, alleging such violations were routine in earlier years.

“PCB has written a letter to the book fair authorities urging it to comply with the norms of plastic carry bags, noise pollution control and overall management of garbage being generated in the fair. Our officials will visit the fairground to see how the norms are being complied” said state environment minister Manas Bhuiya on Monday.

PCB directive, a copy of which is with The Plurals, addressed to the secretary of the publishers and booksellers guild organizing the fair reads “please ensure … plastic carry bags above 120 microns thickness are used within the boimela prangan (and) no use of single use plastic cutlery and thermocol for decoration within the venue of the fair” and also asked it to take undertakings from all the stall holders in the fair committing compliance.

The PCB has also directed “all the sound systems to be used within the venue of the fair should be fitted with sound limiters”; and “the organisers need to put sufficient numbers of bins in the different places within the venue”. The green watchdog has also asked the guild to ensure suppression of dust within the fairground using regular sweeping and sprinkling of water.

Guild shifts onus

“We have asked the agency responsible for setting up microphones to maintain the noise limits; and also are trying to discourage the plastic carry bag use by promoting bags manufactured from textile etc” said Sudhanshu Sekhar Dey, president of Calcutta book fair to this reporter. De however avoided comments on specific directives being issued by the board. “Are these norms being maintained elsewhere in the city or state?” questioned a senior guild official clearly exasperated by the recent PCB directive.

“Few days back we sent letters to PCB and various other administrative authorities urging strict maintenance of the environmental norms in the fair. We are happy that PCB has finally sent the directive, but we fear unless strict monitoring is conducted, the directive will remain in the paper,” observed Naba Dutta, secretary of green civil society platform Sabuj Mancha.

“We have been setting up stalls in the book fair for over two decades and our experience, even in the last few years, is that 90 percent of stalls give thin plastic carry bags and most do not comply with noise norms” said a stall owner to The Plurals. Around 900 stalls have been set up in the ongoing fair.

“The existing terms and conditions of the guild do not include the environmental norms; and they should consider adding those in future after the PCB directive. They also should announce the norms directed by PCB through microphones so that both the stall owners and visitors get aware and try to comply with those” added Dutta.

“The guild should keep in mind that once the fair had to be shifted from the maidan to Victoria Memorial ground on environmental issues; and hence must comply with the green norms during the ongoing and future fairs” said an environmentalist.