PCB committee assesses impact of dust on plum in vicinity of SJVN’s Luhri Hydel Power project

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 4

Following the concerns raised by plum growers over the adverse impact of dust on fruit-setting and production, a committee constituted by the Pollution Control Board (PCB) today visited the orchards in the vicinity of SJVN’s Luhri Hydel Power project to determine the reason for low fruit setting in the area. Apart from the officials of the PCB, the committee comprised officials from the department of horticulture, revenue department and plum growers.

The plum growers had claimed that the fruit setting in the panchayats close to the power project was just around 15 per cent of the normal fruit setting, and they suspected the dust emanating from the project and several stone crushers in the area could be the reason for the poor fruit setting.

“The committee visited the orchards in Neerath and Nirsu area to check the fruit setting. And then, a meeting was held with the SJVN officials over the issue. A sort of consensus emerged at the meeting that the University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, should conduct a detailed study on the impact of dust on the production of the fruit,” said Deepak Singha, the president of the Plum Growers Association.

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