Lok Sabha Question No. 423 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-23
Subject: Recovery of Environmental Compensation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Patel Umeshbhai Babubhai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 423

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026

## Recovery of Environmental Compensation

## *423. SHRI PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI:

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

- (a) the number of cases of negligence/dereliction of duty in which disciplinary actions have been taken  against  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)/State  Pollution  Control  Board  (SPCB) during the last five years;
- (b) whether cent percent of the environmental compensation has been recovered and if not, the outstanding  amount  thereof  and  whether  any  time  limit  has  been  set  for  recovery  of  the  said amount and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether  the  river-wise  progress  report  of  the  Action  Plan  has  been  prepared  for  the Damanganga/Bilkhadi/Kolak rivers and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government is likely to release a public list of "repeated offenders" industries (name-and-shame policy) and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  is  likely  to  release  the  quarterly  public  compliance  dashboard  in respect of the said industries and make real-time Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) available on a public portal; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to formulate a policy to fix personal accountability of the officials of the CPCB/SPCB and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  OF   PARA  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO. 423 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026 IN LOK SABHA RAISED BY SHRI PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI TITLED 'RECOVERY OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPENSATION'

- (a)  The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reported one disciplinary action that has been taken during the last five years. The data regarding disciplinary action against negligence/dereliction of duty by the staff of State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) are being maintained by concerned State Boards.
- (b):  CPCB has imposed environmental compensation of Rs.48.42 crores and recovered Rs.47.35 crore for the period from 2018 to 2024. Accordingly, Rs.1.06 crore is outstanding. The time limit for payment of environmental compensation is specified in the respective order on case-to-case basis.  The data regarding outstanding amount of environmental compensation collected by the SPCBs are being maintained by concerned State Boards.
- (c):  Based on the information received from Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Pollution Control Committee (DNH &DD PCC), the riverwise progress report of the action plan for Daman Ganga has been prepared by GPCB and PCC of DNH & DD) and progress report of the action Plan for Kolak River has been prepared by GPCB which also includes Bhill Khadi rivulet.
- (d)  to  (e)  :  Action  against  non-compliant  industries  is  taken  as  per  the  provisions  of  the  Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)  Act, 1981,  the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 , the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 on case to case basis.  OCEMS data is available in public domain and can be accessed at https://rtdms.cpcb.gov.in/data (for live data) and https://rtdms.cpcb.gov.in/publicdata (for historical data).
- (f): Accountability  of  the  officials  of  CPCB  and  SPCB  is  governed  under  the  applicable Service Rules, Conduct Rules and disciplinary procedure of the Central Government and State Government, respectively.

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