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News18
5 days ago
- Health
- News18
CPCB seeks probe into claims of groundwater contamination in Rajasthan village
Last Updated: New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has asked the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) to conduct a detailed investigation into allegations of groundwater contamination in Kankardopa village of Behror district and take urgent remedial measures. Acting on a complaint from villagers alleging contamination due to nearby industrial units, the CPCB, in a letter dated July 23, said a joint team went to the village on April 21 and interacted with residents. Water samples were collected from three borewells in the area, which revealed the presence of iron (9.35 milligram per litre) and nickel (0.095 milligram per litre) in the groundwater, both exceeding permissible limits under the BIS drinking water specification. 'These levels exceed the BIS permissible limits, posing a serious health risk to the local population," the letter said. The industrial units named in the complaint and inspected by authorities include Apex Tubes Private Limited, Greenlam Industries Limited, GS Pharmbutor Private Limited and Continental Petroleum Limited, all in the RIICO Industrial Area, Behror. The CPCB directed the RSPCB to immediately conduct a 'detailed study on ground water quality assessment, sources of contamination and required remedial measures with respect to exceedance of the concentration levels of Iron and Nickel in groundwater at Kankardopa village through expert institute and ensure required remedial measures". It also instructed the RSPCB to maintain 'strict/constant vigil on the industries having water pollution potential and the groundwater quality in the area". The RSPCB has been asked to submit an action-taken report to the CPCB within 30 days of receiving the directive. PTI GVS RHL view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 18:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Policy bottleneck stalls hiring at Rajasthan Pollution Board, SC contempt notice still looms
Jaipur: The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) is struggling to meet staffing requirements, with nearly 35% of posts currently filled against the 55% target mandated by the Supreme Court. The failure to comply led the apex court to issue a contempt notice to the Rajasthan govt in May, seeking an explanation for the delay and warning of possible action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. The board's staffing target covers four categories — engineers, scientific staff, ministerial staff and support workers. Among these, the engineering section has emerged as the weakest link. The primary obstacle, officials told TOI, is a policy constraint regarding the recruitment of Assistant Environmental Engineers (AENs). These posts are not open to direct recruitment and can only be filled through promotions from Junior Engineers (JENs) with a minimum of five years of service. Most current JENs have only one to three years of experience, rendering them ineligible and leaving a significant number of AEN posts vacant. This has directly impacted the board's ability to meet its court-ordered staffing threshold. The shortage of qualified personnel continues to hamper the board's ability to carry out essential functions, including pollution monitoring, enforcement of environmental norms, and grievance redressal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ED No More: 50+ Men Reclaim Vitality Men's Health Learn More Undo The impact is especially visible in high-density urban areas such as Jaipur, Kota, and Udaipur, where regulatory oversight is critical. "There is no provision for direct recruitment at the AEN level," said Sharda Pratap Singh, member secretary, RSPCB. "Promotions can only happen after five years of service, and most of our JENs haven't completed that duration yet. This gap is one of the main reasons why the engineering cadre is facing a bottleneck," he added. To address the shortfall, RSPCB issued an order in June 2025 to recruit 40 interns — 20 from engineering and 20 from science backgrounds. While the move aims to bring in technical support, it remains uncertain whether these temporary positions will contribute to the 55% compliance requirement. The Supreme Court has scheduled a virtual hearing on July 18, where the Rajasthan govt must provide a category-wise breakdown of filled and vacant posts, with a specific explanation for the engineering backlog caused by the AEN-JEN promotion policy.
