New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has slammed the state of Jharkhand for its lackadaisical approach to filling up vacant posts in the state pollution control board.
The green body, which is currently hearing a matter regarding the Pollution Control Boards being the “weak links” in India’s fight against environmental degradation, also directed 23 states and Union Territories to provide the reasons for not having the optimum prescribed facilities across the State Pollution Control Boards and the Pollution Control Committees.
Earlier, the tribunal had taken suo motu cognisance of a media report, which showed that these boards and committees were unable to perform properly because of inadequate facilities, not filling up posts against the sanctioned strength, high number vacancies especially in technical positions, absence of proper training, lack of pollution monitoring and abatement equipment, and absence of technically competent leadership.
In its July 28 order made available on Wednesday, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that according to the submissions of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board’s (JSPCB) member secretary, the board had a sanctioned working strength — including contractual employees — of 52 per cent.
The bench noted the disclosure that 26 years after the state was formed, the recruitment rules for JSPCB were not yet notified, and had been lying with the state government for finalisation.
“This indicates that JSPCB or the state of Jharkhand has not taken the issue of filling up of the posts of Pollution Control Board seriously and effective steps have not been taken till now, which has adversely affected the working of the JSPCB,” the bench said.
The tribunal also noted the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) submission that 23 states and Union Territories were yet to submit their responses, detailing the reasons why their boards and committees did not have “optimum prescribed facilities.” In the last hearing on April 10, the tribunal, noting the gaps in the boards and committees, had directed furnishing reasons for the inadequacies to the CPCB.
The non-compliant states and Union Territories include Bihar, Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Goa, Sikkim, Ladakh and Chandigarh.
“Therefore, they are required to do the needful in terms of the earlier order within four weeks,” the NGT order said.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 8. PTI MNR MNR RUK RUK
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