CAG flags 'systemic failures' within Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged serious deficiencies in the functioning of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) between 2017 and 2022, stating that several industries operated without mandatory consents and discharged untreated effluents into water bodies.

The ‘Subject Specific Compliance Audit’ on the role of MPCB in preventing water pollution, covering 2017-18 to 2021-22, found that despite clear legal provisions, multiple industries were functioning without obtaining consent to establish and operate.

The report, tabled before the Maharashtra legislative Assembly, said MPCB — which has the authority to order closure of units violating environmental norms — showed weak enforcement of regulations.

The audit, conducted between June and November 2022, included joint physical verification of 158 industries. It found that monitoring was severely constrained due to shortage of manpower, resulting in fewer inspections than required.

During physical verification, auditors observed polluted effluents and untreated sewage being discharged into water bodies. Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) were found to be non-functional in several cases, while Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) were not installed.

The CAG also pointed to irregularities in the assessment and collection of consent fees, noting that these were not consistently calculated based on industries’ balance sheets and Ready Reckoner (RR) rates, leading to short charging.

In cases of non-compliance, MPCB failed to obtain or verify bank guarantees and did not initiate forfeiture where required, the audit found.

A shortfall ranging between 53.50 per cent and 68.35 per cent was recorded in inspection visits to industries. Inspections of highly polluting sectors such as sugar, paper and pharmaceutical units fell short by 58 to 84 per cent, with persistent non-compliance observed in these sectors.

During joint verification of seven sugar industries, treated effluent samples collected at ETP outlets exceeded permissible limits, indicating ineffective treatment. In five Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), only six to 23 parameters were tested against the prescribed range of 12 to 53.

Of 12,319 samples tested across six regional MPCB offices, as many as 5,033 failed to meet prescribed standards. Additionally, 14 industries connected to CETPs were found discharging effluents beyond permissible limits for periods ranging from five to 37 months, yet regional offices did not initiate action.

Describing the lapses as “systemic”, the CAG said the failures had weakened pollution control mechanisms.

The audit recommended that MPCB proactively coordinate with other government departments to ensure all operational industries are brought under the consent regime, fill sanctioned posts, and strictly enforce consent conditions, particularly in highly polluting sectors.

With PTI inputs