CAG raps Punjab Pollution Control Board

Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) today got a rap from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for neither formulating environmental standards nor preparing any comprehensive programme for prevention, control or abatement of water pollution in the state.
The CAG report, for the year 2013 tabled in the Punjab Assembly here today, after conducting performance of audit of 'water pollution in Punjab' found flaws in the functioning of PPCB.
The CAG recommended to the state government to ensure periodical inspection of industries and take appropriate action against industries operating without the consent of PPCB and monitor the quality of ground water.

The audit record showed that PPCB had neither prepared comprehensive programme for the prevention, control or abatement
of pollution of streams and wells in the state except for two towns - Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh - nor formulated environmental standards based on local considerations.
"The prescribed activities were neither undertaken by Punjab Water Quality Review Committee (PWQRC) nor by the sub- committee," the CAG points.

PWQRC was set up by Punjab government on the Centre's recommendation in October 2002 to monitor process of measures to assess the quality of water bodies and identify areas requiring immediate action for improving the quality of water resources.

PWQRC had constituted a sub-committee in December 2002 to examine the existing quality monitoring activities, research schemes and to suggest the issues to be addressed by it.
"PWQRC remained non-performing since its formation which forfeited the objectives of its constitution," the CAG says.
The audit observed that risks to human health from water borne diseases due to pollution of rivers and from presence of harmful substances in rivers and ground water were not assessed by the PPCB.
In view of this, the number of cases of water borne diseases increased significantly from 39,781 in 2008 to 2,76,393 in 2012, the CAG pointed.