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In 14 pollution control boards, only 167 posts filled out of total 2,228

Based on affidavits submitted to the National Green Tribunal last year, out of 11,562 sanctioned posts, 5,671 or 49.04 per cent, were reported to be vacant in Pollution Control Boards across 28 states and 8 union territories.

National Green Tribunal (NGT) Tuesday heard 14 clubbed cases, focusing notably on the legality and functioning of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) operated by Ludhiana's dyeing industry. (Express Archive)

Reflecting tardy progress on compliance of a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order to fill up vacant posts across pollution control boards in the country by April end, only 167 posts out of 2,228 vacancies have been filled so far in 12 states and two union territories. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the country’s top pollution control watchdog, submitted this information to the NGT on Friday.

Based on affidavits submitted to the NGT last year, out of 11,562 sanctioned posts, 5,671 or 49.04 per cent, were reported to be vacant in 28 states and 8 union territories.

The CPCB had not received progress reports on filling of the remaining 3,443 vacancies from 16 state pollution control boards and six pollution control committees of union territories, the CPCB’s affidavit stated. Pollution control boards cited delays due to reasons ranging from unavailability of candidates from feeder cadres in other state departments, backlog in filling reserved quota posts, conduct of recruitment exams and vacancies which were under process due to promotions.

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“Out of 36 SPCBs/PCC’s, CPCB has received advance copy of affidavits (progress report) from only 14 SPCBs/PCC namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Telangana, Tripura, Ladakh and Puducherry,” the CPCB stated. Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland among states and Lakshadweep among union territories are the only ones with zero vacancies.

The states which did not submit progress reports are Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal. Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep were among union territories which did not submit a progress report.

The CPCB’s affidavit was filed in compliance with an order passed by the NGT’s principal bench last September 11, directing all states, except Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to fill vacant posts by April 30, 2025.

The NGT’s direction left out states falling in the National Capital Region as a Supreme Court order of August 27 had already covered them. NGT’s September 11 order was passed in a matter it had taken up suo moto, based on a news report.

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Out of 5,671 posts, the CPCB’s affidavit consisted of data for 2,228 posts across 12 states and 2 union territories.

Nikhil Ghanekar

An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More

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