New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT)has directed the member secretaries of all state pollution control boards and pollution control committees (in UTs) to file affidavits explaining why a large number of sanctioned posts are vacant.
Noting that almost 50 per cent of the posts across the country are vacant, the green panel observed that, “Such a huge vacancy is one of the major reasons for improper enforcement of (environment) acts and rules.”
The tribunal was hearing a matter regarding the infrastructure, resources and capacity of the state pollution control boards and pollution control committees being impacted because of several reasons, including inadequate sanctioned strength of personnel and high number of vacancies, especially in technical positions.
Noting a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) following the tribunal’s earlier order, a bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said it shows a “very grim situation.”