Hyderabad : While the city is reeling under air, water and other forms of pollution, the State Pollution Control Board is sitting on funds that are meant to be utilised for detailed projects to find solutions to these pro blems.

It has been a decade since the State Pollution Control Board took up a detailed project, while annual funds for environmental schemes are left unutilised. “The last detailed project was taken up in 2005 on pollution due to municipal solid waste, which was outsourced to a private institution-Vimta Lab. Prior to this project, another de-tailed project on ground pollution was given to the National Geographical Research Institute (NGRI). However, after that no projects were taken up,” said an official of Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB).

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The PCB does not have a shortage of funds; in fact it has always been running on surplus ever since its establishments in 1976. The AP PCB had a surplus amount of `400 crore in various banks prior to bifurcation. “Now the surplus amount has been divided into 52 per cent and 48 per cent to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state,” said a former official with AP PCB.

“Annually about `1 crore is set aside for detailed projects in the action plan, however, the money has been left unutilised for a decade,” said another official with administrative wing of TSPCB. Presently, the state PCB is confined to taking down pollution levels from the installed equipment at certain points within the city.

A senior scientist with TS PCB, on condition of anonymity said, “Though we have good equipment with the central laboratory, we are understaffed to take up detailed projects. How-ever, under the environmental schemes, the detailed projects can be carried out by outsourcing to premier institutions and well-acclaimed private ones.”

He added, “Centre for Science and Environ-ment (CSE), Environment Protection Trai-ning and Research Institute, and other premier institutes within the country that take up similar projects can be employed to take up essential studies.”

Many premier institutions can also be roped in or engaged to take up essential studies. “Though high-level committee meetings of the Board have been conducted at regular intervals, the issue of detailed study has never been taken up. It is mainly because officials see the detailed study as an additional burden to their regular work. With the central laboratory, the board can also help the institution that is engaged to take up studies and come up with several issues,” said an insider.