Air, Microbiology Labs in dire need of instruments
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 11: Notwithstanding the fact that it is a statutory authority having the mandate to protect the environment by effective law enforcement and best environmental management practices, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee is functioning with only half of the sanctioned manpower during the past quite long time. Moreover, it doesn’t have important equipments for effective functioning of Air and Microbiology Laboratories.
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This has been admitted by the J&K Pollution Control Committee itself in an official document, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR. The total sanctioned strength of human resource in J&K Pollution Control Committee is 445 but the working strength of the employees is only 242 and the same is reducing with every passing year due to retirement of officials.
The sanctioned strength of Administrative and Ministerial staff is 215 but working strength is only 137. Similarly, against 119 sanctioned technical posts, the working strength is only 64 and against sanctioned strength of 111 scientific staff the working strength is only 41.
The J&K Pollution Control Committee is functioning with only half of the sanctioned manpower despite the fact that it is supposed to enforce various Environmental Laws; regulate industrial activity by issuance of Consent for Establishing and Operation of industrial units under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment Protection Act 1986 and various Rules made there under.
Moreover, the Pollution Control Committee is required to grant authorization under Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008; Biomedical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules and other authorization under Rules framed under Environment Protection Act, 1986 besides to advice the Government on matters concerning prevention, control and abatement of pollution.
“Due to increase in the industrial activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the role of the Pollution Control Committee has increased tremendously necessitating strengthening of the Committee in respect of manpower, financial resources and adequate infrastructure to deal. However, this aspect has not received the due attention of the concerned authorities”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
There are two labs-Regional Lab Jammu and Regional Lab Kashmir in J&K Pollution Control Committee engaged in sampling of water and air pollution in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. However, both the Labs are facing shortage of essential equipment particularly in Air and Microbiology Sections.
As far as Regional Laboratory Srinagar is concerned, instruments like atomic absorption spectrophotometer, gas chromatograph with ECD, FID, NPF and FPD, TKN Analyzer semi-automatic with aluminum block digester etc are required in Water Lab while as conductivity meter, computer system along with accessories are needed in Air Lab. Likewise, bio-safety cabinets etc are required in the Microbiology Lab.
In Regional Laboratory Jammu, laminar flow, biological incubator and micro-pipettes are required in Microbiology Lab. Similarly, a number of instruments are needed in Air Lab.
The J&K Pollution Control Committee has already brought the information with respect to infrastructure, human resources, laboratories and budget to the Central Pollution Control Board vide Communication No. JKPCC/NGT/145/452-54 dated February 26, 2024.
It is pertinent to mention here that National Green Tribunal (NGT) is also considering the issue of infrastructure, resources and capacity of the Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees to perform the functions assigned to them, which is affected on account of inadequate sanctioned strength of personnel, high number of vacancies especially in technical positions, absence of proper training, lack of pollution monitoring and abatement equipments, absence of technically competent leadership, protracted enforcement mechanisms, insufficient funds and ineffectual spending.
“Keeping in view the fact that J&K Pollution Control Committee, a statutory authority constituted in the year 1987 under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, is enjoined with powers there under and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment Protection Act 1986 and various Rules made there under, for abatement and control of environmental pollution, adequate manpower and all the requirement equipments are required to be placed at its disposal as early as possible”, sources stressed.
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