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| Odisha State Pollution Control Board | |
|---|---|
| Name | Odisha State Pollution Control Board |
| Formed | 1974 |
| Jurisdiction | Odisha |
| Headquarters | Bhubaneswar |
| Parent agency | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |
Odisha State Pollution Control Board is the statutory environmental regulatory body established under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to oversee pollution control in Odisha. The board acts within the administrative context of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, interacting with entities such as the Central Pollution Control Board, State Finance Commission (India), and local authorities in Bhubaneswar and district headquarters. Its mandate spans industrial permitting, effluent standards, ambient monitoring, and public grievance redressal across sectors including JSW Limited, Tata Steel, BARC-related facilities, and port operations at Paradip Port.
The board was constituted in the wake of landmark legislation like the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and subsequent national policy shifts exemplified by the National Environment Policy, 2006 and directives from the Supreme Court of India. Early interactions involved coordination with the Central Pollution Control Board and state agencies during industrialization projects associated with Hindalco Industries, National Aluminium Company, and the SAIL. Episodes such as adjudications in the Orissa High Court and environmental audits following incidents near Mahanadi River catchment areas shaped board priorities. Over decades, the board’s role evolved alongside developments in environmental jurisprudence including rulings linked to the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and policy guidance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Statutory functions derive from acts like the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and regulatory instruments under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Powers include granting consents to establish for industrial units such as Tata Steel, Vedanta Resources projects, and Indian Oil Corporation facilities; imposing closure directions with reference to orders from the National Green Tribunal; and issuing notices under provisions analogous to those in the Environment Protection Rules. The board prescribes effluent standards based on recommendations from the Central Pollution Control Board and scientific inputs from institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar and the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela.
The board’s composition reflects statutory norms: a chairperson, member-secretary, official members representing ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and non-official members drawn from academic institutions like the Utkal University and technical bodies such as the Central Ground Water Board. Regional offices liaise with district administrations of Cuttack district, Sambalpur district, Balasore district, and port authorities at Dhamra Port. Technical wings collaborate with laboratories accredited by bodies like the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories and training programs conducted with partners such as the Central Pollution Control Board.
Key initiatives include river basin management for the Mahanadi River and urban air quality actions in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, often coordinated with the National Clean Air Programme and the Smart Cities Mission. Industrial pollution control programs have involved sectors including aluminum smelting at NALCO facilities, mining operations linked to Vedanta Resources and ONGC downstream activities, and wastewater treatment projects in collaboration with the Jal Jeevan Mission and municipal corporations. Capacity building and technology demonstration projects have been run with research partners such as the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research laboratories.
Regulatory instruments enforced include consents under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, environmental clearance conditions derived from the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, and standards aligned to notifications by the Central Pollution Control Board. Compliance oversight extends to sectors governed by the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules and petrochemical units under the aegis of Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum. Legal enforcement has been supported by directives from tribunals and courts including the National Green Tribunal and the Orissa High Court.
Monitoring networks include ambient air quality stations participating in the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme and effluent monitoring linked to treatment plants at industrial complexes like those of Tata Steel and Hindalco Industries. Enforcement actions have ranged from show-cause notices and closure orders to prosecutions under provisions comparable to the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, often following inspections coordinated with agencies such as the Directorate General of Mines Safety and the Central Industrial Security Force in sensitive installations. Data sharing occurs with national bodies like the Central Pollution Control Board and research institutions including the Indian Institute of Science.
Public engagement mechanisms include hearings in accordance with the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and grievance redressal channels interfacing with citizen groups like Greenpeace India-linked campaigns, local NGOs, and academic stakeholders from Utkal University and Sambalpur University. The board conducts awareness programs tied to national campaigns such as the Swachh Bharat Mission and coordinates stakeholder consultations involving municipal corporations of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and community organizations in the Mahanadi delta. Collaboration with media outlets and civil society has been important in transparency initiatives paralleling national efforts by the Central Information Commission.
Category:State agencies of Odisha