For two years now, Maharashtra’s pollution control agency did not use 80% of the funds given to it to reduce air, water and noise pollution, HT has found For two years now, Maharashtra’s pollution control agency did not use 80% of the funds given to it to reduce air, water and noise pollution, HT has found.
In 2015-16, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) got Rs393.8 crore from the government; it spent only Rs68.26 crore.
While the MPCB has funds at its disposal, Mumbai continues to face a number of pollution problems, including overflowing dumping grounds, increasing pollution in the air we breathe, rising noise levels and heavily polluted water along our coast.
“Earlier, money was being spent on projects such as the National Water and Air Quality Monitoring programmes.
Not only is the MPCB not using funds allotted to it, it is also struggling to fill vacant posts, especially that of scientific officers.
‘We have an action plan ready’ P Anbalagan, member secretary of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) spoke to Hindustan Times and cleared the air on the current condition of the state pollution board, the problems being faced by them and the future plans to mitigate air, noise and water pollution.
Earlier money was being spent on various projects like National Water and Air Quality Monitoring programmes.
The plan is to go up to 900 posts.
The work order has been issued for 11 air quality monitoring stations for Mumbai – all the way from Colaba to Dahisar.
We are also setting similar air quality monitoring stations at Pune, Navi Mumbai and we are getting additional seven air quality monitoring stations from the central government at various areas in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region including Vasai, Virar, Palghar, Dombivali etc.