New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) A Supreme Court-mandated pollution control authority on Wednesday wrote to Haryana and Rajasthan about the "horrible" condition of their industrial areas and criticised their officials for "taking things easy".

Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority head Bhure Lal said he found municipal solid waste, industrial and plastic waste strewn on roads and empty plots during his visit to the industrial areas in these states.

Also Read | Jammu And Kashmir: CAG Raises Major Concerns Over Implementation of Two Flagship Govt Schemes During 2017-2018.

He asked the chief secretaries of the two states to issue directions to improve the situation.  

"I paid a visit to the industrial areas of Panipat, Sonipat, Faridabad and Dharuhera on September 19, and I found the conditions of industrial areas horrible. No pollution control measures seem to have been adopted. Industrial waste was lying everywhere," he said in his letter to the Haryana chief secretary.

Also Read | Suresh Angadi Dies: PM Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Other Leaders React as COVID-19 Leads to Union Minister’s Demise.

The EPCA chairman also visited industrial areas in Tapukara, Khushkhera, Bhiwadi and Chopanki in Rajasthan.

Bhure Lal said criticised state officials for "taking this easy".

"This winter is going to be very difficult because of the administration's commitment to so many other things. Environment and pollution must not be ignored, otherwise it will compound the COVID situation further because air pollution affects lungs," he said. PTI GVS 

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)