The pollution levels in Visakhapatnam city and district have come down, but still there is a problem and steps will be taken to address it, according to AP Pollution Control Board chairman G.N Phani Kumar.

He was addressing the media here on Thursday after participating in a workshop on controlling pollution in the pharma industry. In response to a number of questions on the coal dust pollution in the city due to the handling of the coal at Visakhapatnam port and ineffectiveness of the pollution control measures taken by the port trust, he said he was not aware of the latest situation and he would take up the issue.

Denying the charge that the APPCB was remaining a mute spectator to the pollution caused by the port and the industries and it lacked transparency, Phani Kumar said the "APPCB is always alive to the needs of the public and responsive to them. But we cannot act like policemen. We do not assume an adversarial role. Striking a balance, we always strive to reduce the pollution to the extent possible and at the same time we do not stifle the industry."

He received representations on the coal dust pollution caused by the port and also the pollution problems in the vicinity of some of the pharma units in the district.

Earlier, he participated in the workshop the latest technologies for mitigating the pollution levels in the pharma industry.

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