NEW DELHI: Funds allocated under Pollution Control Fund were underutilized as per the Parliamentary Panel. The Panel has directed the environment ministry to ‘introspect’ its performance and ensure utilization of funds and to meet targets in future without any failure. The present performance was termed ‘unsatisfactory’.

Each and every one is affected due to the ‘very grim’ situation and scenario of environmental pollution in the whole country as of now, the panel noted.

The department made such comments related to parliamentary standing committee for science and technology and environment and forest in its 313th Demands for Grand 2018-19 of the ministry of environment report.

“The committee is perturbed to observe the unsatisfactory trend of utilization of funds for ‘Pollution Abatement’ during the last few years,” the committee, which was chaired by Congress leader Anand Sharma, said.

“As per the documents furnished by the Ministry, in 2016-17 too the BE (Budget Estimate) allocation of Rs. 20.00 crore for this scheme was reduced to Rs.9.60 crore at RE (Revised Estimate) stage and the ministry could utilize only Rs.6.22 crore during the year,” it further said.

The panel also noted that the trend of reduction in allocation at RE stage and not up-to the mark utilization of funds makes one think the that the pollution abatement is being considered among priority areas in the ministry.

The ever rising pollution in the environment of the country not only affects in helping spread of human diseases and adverse health conditions, but also delivers an impact to the ecology negatively, it noted.

The committee holds regular meetings with NGOs and civil society members along with several seminars and workshops with stakeholders to be able to aware general public the menace of pollution, it added.

For such a scenario, the trend of reduction and underutilisation of funds for pollution abatement is not desirable, it noted.

The committee as of now, noted that the ministry of environment has decided to discontinue some of the plans under this scheme and has made another scheme for abatement of pollution.

“The committee recommends that the ministry introspect its performance under this scheme during the last few years and take all necessary measures to ensure that in future funds allocated for the re-framed scheme are optimally utilized and all physical targets achieved,” it said.

The has already informed the committee that after the evaluation of the Plan Schemes of Ministry in 2016-17, EF&CC Secretary has decided about the schemes of Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) as wells as Development/Promotion of Clean Technology and Waste Minimization Strategies may get discontinued after funding on-going project

The ministry further informed that it has already started the crucial process to finalize draft EFC memorandum over Pollution Abatement’ Comprehensive Scheme which includes Central Pollution Control Board’s projects, and other new projects for air pollution the year 2018-19 and 2019-20, keeping in view the subsuming of water cess into GST to help all state boards and committees for pollution control.