OVERHAUL OVERDUE

Hold polluting industries accountable for public health risks, environmental hazards, climate change; provide them support for green transition

- NIVIT KUMAR YADAV, PARTH KUMAR, SHREYA VERMA, ANUBHA AGGARWAL

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION is invariably linked to poor implementation of environmental norms and standards. This is what the new government must remember as it sets out to lead the country at a time when its manufacturing capabilities are significantly expanding. The government would do well to address some key areas of concern that hamper the environmental performance of the country's industrial sector.

STRENGTHEN SPCBs

Effective state pollution control boards (SPCBS) play a vital role in environmental management and regulation, as mandated by various laws. However, their performance suffers due to insufficient human power, limited financial resources and absence of adequate infrastructure. According to an April 5, 2024 report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 6,075, or over 50 per cent, of sanctioned positions across all SPCBS are vacant. In Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur, the vacancy rate is over 60 per cent. Such shortages affect environmental gement and regulation. For example, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has 505 staff against the sanctioned posts of 839 to monitor 111,928 industries, as per the 2022 annual report of the board. Given that only 315 of the 505 staff are technical specialists, each of them are responsible for monitoring 355 industries. Therefore, it is imperative to assess institutional capacity and prioritise filling vacant positions.