Pollution Control Board staff oppose move to divert board’s funds to other departments

Visakhapatnam: The State Government has directed the APPCB for immediate diversion of Rs.320 crore from the internal funds of A.P. Pollution Control Board for the functioning of Urban Local Bodies.

APPCB has conducted Special Board meeting on 01.02.2019 and proposed to transfer its funds as directed by the State Government. Though the State Government is not allocating any funds to APPCB under Plan & Non-Plan Budgets, the expenses for Environmental Protection, Conducting environmental workshops and activities to create awareness among the public, construction/up-gradation and running of Laboratories and infrastructure development are meeting through its own funds . The Board has to meet the employees’ Pension and provident funds etc., from its funds only.

APPCB played a vital role with limited employees for the state of Andhra Pradesh in achieving 1st rank in the country in Ease of Doing Business. Against that, the State Government is planning to divert the Board funds to other department thereby trying to ruin the Board. If the funds are diverted to other activities, the Environmental protection will be in jeopardy and the survival of the Board and employees will be in trouble.

In order to stop the act of the Government, the employees of A.P. Pollution Control Board protested together across the State on Monday at respective Board/Zonal Office/ Regional Offices by penning down the official works demanding not to divert the Board funds. They also informed that their protest will be intensified further in future till the Government drops the proposal for diverting of APPCB funds