**Summary:**
A significant number of positions, approximately 50%, are vacant within State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) across all States and Union Territories in India. This issue was addressed in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1359 on July 28, 2025, directed to the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, responded that SPCBs/PCCs have cited various reasons for these vacancies, including pending approvals for Recruitment/Service Rules, delays in staffing pattern sanctions, restructuring/upgradation of posts, changes in recruitment policy, abolition of posts, ongoing court cases/proceedings, state bifurcation, proposed surrender of posts, recruits not joining, lack of applications for deputation posts, and a lack of eligible candidates for promotional posts.
The appointment of officers and employees falls under the purview of regulations made by the State Boards/PCCs, which are under the administrative control of the respective State Governments/UT Administrations. Therefore, the responsibility for filling these vacancies rests with the State Governments/UT Administrations.
The Central Government has urged State Governments/UT Administrations to expedite the process of filling these vacancies. Furthermore, the Hon'ble Supreme Court, in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 13029/1985 (M.C. Mehta Versus Union of India & Ors), issued an order dated May 8, 2025, directing all State Pollution Control Boards and Committees to ensure that all vacancies are filled by the end of September 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Pollution Control Boards: Government agencies responsible for controlling pollution at the state and union territory level.
SHRI K GOPINATH: Member of LOK SABHA who raised the question about vacancies in Pollution Control Boards.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental and climate-related policies.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: Minister of State in the MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE who provided the answer to the question.
State Governments: The governments of the individual states within India, responsible for the administration and regulation of State Pollution Control Boards.
Union Territories: The administration of the individual Union Territories within India, responsible for the administration and regulation of Pollution Control Committees.
Supreme Court: The highest judicial body in India, which issued an order regarding filling vacancies in Pollution Control Boards.
M.C. Mehta Versus Union of India: A Writ Petition/Civil case related to environmental issues, in which the Supreme Court issued directives regarding vacancies in Pollution Control Boards.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1359
TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025
Vacancies in Pollution Control Boards
1359. SHRI K GOPINATH:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the reasons for 50 per cent of posts being vacant in the Pollution Control Boards
(PCBs) across all the States and Union Territories; and
(b) whether the Government has formulated a timeline to fill these vacancies and if so,
the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) & (b):
SPCBs/PCCs have underlined one or more reasons of vacant positions in their
respective Boards/PCCs, such as;
Recruitment Rules/Service Rules are under process/pending for approval, delay in
sanction of staffing pattern, restructuring/upgradation of posts and changes in
recruitment policy, abolition of posts.
Court cases/proceedings, having bearing on recruitment/promotion.
Bifurcation of State.
Some posts proposed for surrender.
New recruits not joining due to different reasons.
No applications received for deputation posts/no suitable candidates found in feeder
grade.
No eligible candidates in the feeder cadre for promotional posts.
Appointment of officers and employees of the State Boards and Pollution Control
Committees is being done under the regulation made by the State Boards/PCCs. Also, the State
Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees are under the administrative control
of respective State Governments/UT Administration and the responsibility to fill up vacancies
in SPCBs/PCCs lies with the concerned State Govt./ UT Administration.
The Central Government has reminded State Government/UT Administration to fill the
vacancies, at the earliest. In Writ Petition(s)(Civil) No(s).13029/1985 M.C. Mehta Versus
Union of India & Ors, the Hon’ble Supreme Court vide its order dated 8-5-2025 directed all
the State Pollution Control Boards and Committees to ensure that all the vacancies are filled
by the end of September, 2025.
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