Nearly half of all posts in pollution boards vacant, some for decades

Last Updated25/09/2024

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted these details in an affidavit to the National Green Tribunal (NGT)

The State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) across India are grappling with a severe manpower crisis, as nearly half of their sanctioned posts remain vacant, according to a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Of the 11,562 sanctioned posts, 5,671 (49.04%) are unfilled.
This alarming statistic is compounded by the fact that some positions have been vacant for decades, severely hampering the boards' ability to monitor and manage environmental pollution effectively.

Sikkim tops the list with 100% of its SPCB positions vacant.
States like Jharkhand (73.06%), Andhra Pradesh (70.10%), Madhya Pradesh (63.76%), and Manipur (63.02%) also face alarming vacancy rates.
Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are the only states with fully staffed SPCBs.
Punjab stands out with a post unfilled for over 35 years, highlighting the systemic delays in recruitment.

SPCBs and PCCs were originally established under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to monitor water pollution. Over time, their responsibilities expanded to include air pollution, hazardous waste management, and noise pollution, among other environmental issues.
Environmental lawyer Akash Vashishtha emphasized that without adequate scientific manpower, the boards are unable to conduct necessary sampling and testing, particularly in rural areas where water bodies are crucial for drinking and irrigation purposes.
The legal framework requires quarterly or monthly sampling, but the lack of scientists and engineers hampers these essential activities.

The NGT, recognizing the gravity of the situation, has set a deadline of April 30, 2024, for all states and Union Territories to fill the vacancies. Exceptions include Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, where a Supreme Court case is already addressing the issue.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), over 53.68% of the 2,334 sanctioned posts remain vacant, with Haryana and Rajasthan facing over 60% vacancies.
The Supreme Court, during an April 2023 hearing, expressed frustration over the SPCBs' ineffectiveness due to the vacancies and set a final deadline of April 30, 2025, for the NCR states and Punjab to resolve the issue.

Some states, like Sikkim, have cited a lack of funds as the reason for delays in recruitment. Legal proceedings have also hindered recruitment in states like Madhya Pradesh, where 783 of 1,228 posts are unfilled due to court cases.