Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh: A recent compliance audit report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has brought to light a severe shortfall in industrial inspections conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) in the Visakhapatnam region.

The report, presented in the assembly on September 25, 2019-20, revealed that out of the required 1,350 inspections for the year 2019-20, only 243 inspections (approximately 18 percent) were actually conducted. This significant gap in inspections has been attributed to a critical shortage of technical and scientific staff within the APPCB.

The report underscored the mandatory requirement of four inspections per year for industries categorized as "red." Surprisingly, even this minimum criterion was not met, raising concerns about environmental compliance in the region.

Visakhapatnam boasted 882 industries as of March 2020, comprising 386 red category, 319 orange category, and 171 green category industries.

In recent years, Visakhapatnam has experienced several industrial accidents, some of which were attributed to inadequate preventive measures and insufficient infrastructure.

The lack of regular maintenance and the employment of unqualified personnel in some cases further exacerbated these incidents. Regular inspections are essential in identifying vulnerabilities and preventing such mishaps.

The report strongly criticized the government's response, stating, "The failure to conduct regular inspections, as stipulated by the rules, resulted in industries taking advantage and illegally discharging effluents/hazardous gas emissions into the environment, causing severe consequences for living beings."

As of June 2021, the AP Pollution Control Board was operating with less than 50 percent of its sanctioned staff strength. Surprisingly, despite numerous cases of substantial delays in the submission of applications for the renewal of consent for operation, not a single penalty was levied. By November 2020, approximately 70 out of 876 industries in Visakhapatnam were operating without valid consents.

In August 2016, the Andhra Pradesh government issued comprehensive guidelines on the outsourcing of functions and functionaries. These guidelines clearly stated that core functions of the APPCB should not be outsourced and should be carried out by regular employees.

However, the CAG report revealed that the APPCB zonal office in Visakhapatnam had outsourced core functions, including assistant environmental engineers (7 posts), analysts (19 posts), and fieldsman/field assistants (41 posts) during 2017-19, exceeding the sanctioned posts and contrary to government orders.

The CAG report sheds light on the critical need for stringent environmental compliance and thorough inspections in industrial areas, particularly in regions like Visakhapatnam, where industrial incidents have had adverse effects on the environment and public health.

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