 "50 industries set up in Chhattisgarh without green panel nod: CAG")
The poor enforcement and compliances to the environment laws and rules in Chhattisgarh had resulted in 50 industries coming up without obtaining the required consent from the state-run Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB).
“The 31 industries started production six months to five years before obtaining consent from the CECB, whereas 13 industries had started production five to ten years before getting consent,” the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India on General, Social and Economic (Non-PSUs) sectors said.
The remaining six industries started the production 10 years before obtaining the required consent from the board.
The CAG report had pointed out serious flaws in the working of the CECB. “This indicates the failure on the part of industries and the CECB to ensure compliance of the environment laws,” the report said, adding that the reason for not obtaining of consent was mainly due to inadequate monitoring by the CECB and the dearth of the staff.
The report said that 63 per cent vacancies in respect of post of senior scientific officer, chief chemist, scientist, junior scientist and chemists were lying vacant in the board. Besides, the board had also failed to fill 18 per cent and 25 per cent of the posts of lab attendant/attendant and other staff respectively.
The state government had told the CAG that it would be taking necessary action in connection with the issues.
The CAG report said 197 small industries have not renewed the consent for one month to 174 months.