Environment Ministry has decided to deploy 20 Joint Secretary and Joint Secretary level officers to undertake assessment and periodical review of Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) for effective implementation of the action plans to mitigate pollution. These officers will undertake field visits and review the progress at least once in a quarter, in close coordination with Central Pollution Control Board, (CPCB) to ensure effective action for pollution control. They will also monitor the progress in implementation of action plans in these areas, observe the deficiencies and submit reports to this effect to CPCB and the concerned State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). <br/><br/>In 2009-10 a comprehensive environmental assessment was conducted jointly by the CPCB and IIT Delhi in 88 prominent industrial clusters. Of these clusters, 43 industrial clusters were identified as Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs). The remedial Action Plans for all the 43 CPAs were formulated by the concerned SPCBs in consultation with CPCB and the Technical Review Committee, comprising national level experts. These plans addressed various environmental issues of respective CPAs and are currently under various stages of implementation. <br/><br/><br/><br/>The Ministry had imposed a temporary moratorium in January 2010 on consideration of developmental projects in such 43 CPAs, including projects in the pipeline for environmental clearance. Later, the moratorium was lifted in 28 CPAs in a phased manner, based on the initiation of groundwork towards implementation of formulated action plans. At present, the moratorium is in force in 7 CPAs and re-imposition of the moratorium has been kept in abeyance in 8 other CPAs.