Environment Ministry cites pending approvals, lack of candidates, refusal to join for over 50% vacancy at pollution control boards

A range for reasons, including delayed approvals, abolition of posts, and procedural lapses among many other factors have led to at least 50% vacancies in pollution control boards of states and union territories (UTs) still lying vacant, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said on July 28.

The Ministry's written response to a question raised by Congress MP from Krishnagiri constituency in Tamil Nadu - K Gopinath - revealed that there have been delays in filling positions due to procedural lapses by states and UTs, such as recruitment rules either being under process or pending for approval, delays in sanction of staffing pattern, or abolition of posts altogether.

A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report from 2023 showed that at least 6,075 (50.56%) of the 12,016 sanctioned posts across 28 state pollution control boards and eight pollution control committees have been vacant. Two years later, the vacancies continue to be half of the total positions, the government said.

The Ministry highlighted that despite running full recruitment processes, new recruits did not join in some cases 'due to different reasons'. In posts for deputation and feeder grade, the state pollution control boards are struggling as no applications have been received.  As a result, promotional posts in the feeder cadres too remain vacant, the Ministry said.