Forty three out of 88 major industrial clusters across the country were identified to be critically polluted in a survey conducted by the government. This information was given in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan. She said her ministry had imposed a moratorium in 2010 on grant of environmental clearances for developmental projects in the 43 critically polluted industrial clusters. The Minister said the Central Pollution Control Board in collaboration with Indian
Institute of Technology, Delhi, had conducted the country-wide survey based on Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index for assessment of pollution loan of industrial areas.