Food Processing in India - Expanding Horizons

E-Newsletter
Volume 5, Year 11, May 2010

CLEAN ENVIRONMENT & POLLUTION CONTROL IN MSME

Central Pollution Control Board

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), statutory organisation, was constituted in September, 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Functions of Central Pollution Control Board :

Advise the Central Government on matters relating to pollution;
Coordinate the activities of the State Boards;
Provide Technical assistance to the State Boards, carry out and sponsor investigations and research relating to control of pollution;
Plan and organize training of personnel;
Collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data, prepare manuals and code of conduct.

Air Quality Monitoring is an important part of the air quality management. The National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP) has been established with objectives to determine the present air quality status and trends and to control and regulate pollution from industries and other source to meet the air quality standards. It also provides background air quality data needed for industrial siting and towns planning.
Besides this, CPCB has an automatic monitoring station at ITO Intersection in New Delhi. At this station Resirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) are being monitored regularly. This information on Air Quality at ITO is updated every week.
One of the mandates of CPCB is to collect, collate and disseminate technical and statistical data relating to water pollution. Hence, Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) and Surveillance are of utmost importance.