:: Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board ::

Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), established in 1982, celebrated its silver jubilee during this year. Functions with Head Office at Chennai, headed by Chairman, Member Secretary, one Additional Chief Environmental Engineers and Joint Chief Environmental Engineers, nineteen District offices headed by District Environmental Engineers and five District offices headed by Assistant Environmental Engineers.

To assist in the Analytical and Scientific side, the Board has established three Advanced Environmental Laboratories, ten District Environmental Laboratories and one Mobile Environmental Laboratories.

TNPCB is implementing the Pollution Control Legislations and Rules and Notifications framed therein. In discharging the duties entrusted to it, the Board investigates, collects and disseminates data relating to water, air and land pollution, lays down standards for sewage/trade effluent and emissions.

The field officers of the Board periodically inspect every industry under their jurisdiction to assess the adequacy of treatment measures provided to treat the effluent and gaseous emission. Board has classified the industries as per their pollution load for effective monitoring as follows:

MONITORING PERIODICITY FOR INSPECTION AND SAMPLING

RED	INSPECTION	SAMPLING
Large	Once in month	Once in a month
Medium	Once in Two month	Once in two month
Small	Once in 3-4 month	Once in 3-4 month
ORANGE
Large	Once in two month	Once in two month
Medium	Once in Three month	Once in Three month
Small	Once in 4-6 month	Once in 4-6 month
GREEN
Large	Once in 3 month	Once in 3 month
Medium	Once in 6 month	Once in 6 month
Small	Once in a year	Once in a year

TNPCB issues consent to new industries in two stages. Consent to establish is issued depending upon the suitability of the site before the industry takes up the construction activities and consent to operate is issued after installation of pollution control measures by the unit to satisfy the standards.

TNPCB issues show cause notices , takes legal actions and also issues directions for closure, stoppage of power supply, water supply etc., against erring industries / agencies for non-compliance of pollution control legislations, conditions and standards.

TNPCB has delegated the power to the field officers for close monitoring. The Joint Chief Environmental Engineer/ District Environmental Engineers / Assistant Environmental Engineers are empowered to issue/renew consent to orange and green category industries and to renew for red small category industries. They are also empowered to issue show cause notices to all the industries.

TNPCB plays a catalytic role in the implementation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) for small scale units like tanneries, textile dyeing units etc., located in clusters.

TNPCB is taking effective steps for safe disposal of hazardous wastes and has completed the inventory of hazardous waste generating units and also identified sites for disposal of hazardous wastes.

TNPCB creates environmental awareness in the State through the Environmental Training Institute , Environmental Awareness Cell, Environmental Awareness Programmed, Environmental Pavilion constructed at the Periyar Science and Technology Centre (Chennai), NGO Cell, Publishing of Newsletters/Pamphlets on environmental issues, etc.