Cement Production, Environmental Quality And Health: A Descriptive Study Of Khrew-Khonmoh Area In Jammu & Kashmir

Abstract

India like other developing countries has policy priority for regional development through industrialization. Industrialization as a development strategy has been advocated in The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India, under various policies which led to the increase in the cement manufacturing plants in Khrew-Khonmoh area of Kashmir division. However, sustainable development needs to maintain an optimal trade-off between industrialization and environment. The present paper using secondary data, tries to describe the status of cement production in Khrew-Khonmoh industrial area of Kashmir division and its impact on quality of environment and health. The air pollution in Khrew-Khonmoh cement manufacturing belt in Jammu and Kashmir is above the national ambient air quality standards. Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) cases are showing positive trend with air pollution in Khrew town of J&K. There is need to reconsider the environmental sitting criteria of cement plants and devising of new regulatory policies for conservation of fragile environment