BANGALORE: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), the state agency entrusted with managing and regulating finite environmental resources, is largely unable to fulfil its mandate. Reason: severe manpower shortage.According to sources the KPSCB is functioning with only 40 per cent of the sanctioned strength. (see box) A senior scientific officer who wished not to be quoted, informed Express that the existing sanctioned posts included additional posts (94 Technical Officers, 85 Scientific Officers and 89 Nontechnical Staff). Despite sanctioning the posts in 2005, KSPCB has recruited only 12 scientific staff and 32 non-technical posts so far.Further recruitment was halted as the matter was entangled in a legal dispute, with one of the applicants approaching the High Court over deciding merit in the selection process. However, sources said that KPSCB have made all arrangements to fill its vacancies and are awaiting instructions from the court, as the verdict on the issue is expected to be delivered shortly.“Rapid increase in urbanisation and polluting industries in and around Bangalore and other parts of the state have only burdened the existing staff,” sources add.To overcome shortage and uneven distribution of labour in the state, KSPCB had roped in an external agency in 2009 to conduct a study and suggest measures to strengthen the board and to unify its functioning. The report submitted to the board by the committee in 2010 is yet to be accepted and is sent to the state government for further action.
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