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| Friday, 5 December 2003 |
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by Florence Wickramage AirMAC the coordinating body of government and private stakeholders involved in air quality improvement has completed several activities aimed at controlling vehicular emissions which pollute the environment, Deputy Director General - Pollution Control, Central Environment Authority K. G. D. Bandarathilake said in Colombo yesterday. The public seminar on "Safeguarding the Environment for our Future Generations" was organized by the Institute of Automotive Engineers and M/s. David Peiris Company Limited who has actively participated in the process of preparing in-use vehicle standards. Addressing the seminar Bandarathilake in his keynote address said that the Government banned the use of leaded gasoline in June 2001, introduced the Vehicle Exhaust Emission Standards for in-use vehicles and have reviewed and re-gazetted in June 2003 Fuel Standards and vehicle Exhaust Emission Standards for importation of vehicles. The establishment of islandwide emission testing centres was under way. Tracing the inception of AirMAC, Bandarathilake said that the Central Environment Authority (CEA) is the legal body empowered with the enforcement of rules and regulations to mitigate air pollution under the National Environmental Act. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources which is the policy making body in relation to environmental pollution control together with the CEA decided to provide a framework in the formation of the Air Resource Management Center (AirMAC) to bring in all stakeholder organizations who are involved in air quality management activities as partners to join hands with the Government and to contribute to this work. Bandarathilake further added that problems associated in relation to air pollution are on the rise and the transport sector was the biggest contributor to emit air pollutants to the environment, especially in the Colombo Metropolitan area. Studies have also indicated that respiratory diseases has shown a rise in schoolchildren suffering from lung illnesses and breathing problems. Experts in the field from India were among the distinguished gathering who participated in the seminar. Presentations on all aspects of air pollution were made by experts. These included 'Air Quality in Colombo' by R. P. Samarakkody, Scientist-Environment Division of the National Building Research Organization; 'Controlling Emissions from Two and Three Wheelers - Technology and Regulatory Aspects' by Narayan Iyer, Technical Advisor to Bajaj Auto Ltd. India; 'Gazetted Emission Standards' by A. W. issanayake, Assistant Commissioner-Technical, Registrar of Motor Vehicles; `Vehicular Emissions' by Dr. Victor Mendis of the Sri Lanka Institute of Automobile Engineers; and `Controlling Emissions from In-use Vehicles' by M. N. Muralikrishna, Technical Advisor to TVS Motor Company India. |
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