Lok Sabha Question No. 3866 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-09
Subject: State Pollution Control Boards
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAJ KUMAR SINGH

## 3866. SHRI R.K. SINGH:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the State Pollution Control Boards have not been effective as regulators and heavily polluting  industries  are  functioning  without  let  up  or  hindrance  and  discharging  harmful effluents in the water and in the atmosphere;

- (b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) whether the State Pollution Control Boards are plagued by corruption and inefficiency at the decision making level and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to bring about reforms and structural changes to ensure effective regulation and effective implementation of the Environment Protection and Pollution Control Laws and if so, the details and time frame in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a)&(b) No,  Sir.  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)  /  Pollution  Control  Committees (PCCs) were constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974  and  are  discharging  their  duties  as  mandated  under  the  said  Act  and  Rules. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and SPCBs / PCCs are also the implementing agencies under the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and rules notified therein. SPCBs / PCCs maintain close vigil on quantity  /  quality  of  effluent  &  emissions  being  discharged  by  polluting  industries. Based  on  the  compliance  with  stipulated  norms,  Consent  to  operate  is  granted  to industries and in case of non-compliance, action under the provisions of the prevalent Acts is taken by SPCBs / PCCs.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3866

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/08/2016

## State Pollution Control Boards

- (c) SPCBs / PCCs are under the purview of the State Governments / UT administrations concerned  which  discharge  their  duties  as  mandated  under  the  said  Act  and  Rules. Appropriate  action  to  tackle  corruption  in  the  SPCBs  /  PCCs  is  taken  by  the  State Government concerned.
- (d) A number of measures have been initiated/taken for effective implementation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which inter-alia include installation  of  online  effluent/emission  monitoring  system,  adopting  Zero  Liquid Discharge/water conservation in water intensive industries, adoption of other state of the art technologies, notification of stricter standards  of emission  and  effluent discharge,  issuance  of  directions  by  CPCB,  setting  up  of  monitoring  network  for assessment  of  water  quality,  financial  assistance  for  Common  Effluent  Treatment Plants etc.

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