:: Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board ::

THE MAIN FUNCTION OF THE TNPCB ARE AS FOLLOWS :

	To plan a comprehensive programme for the prevention, control and abatement of water and air pollution.
	To encourage, conduct and participate in investigations and research relating to problems of water, land and air pollution and its prevention, control and abatement thereof.
	To inspect sewage and trade effluent treatment plants for their effectiveness and review plans, specifications for corrective measures.
	To lay down, modify or annul effluent standards for the sewage/trade effluents and for the emissions of air pollutants into the atmosphere from the industrial plants and automobiles and for the discharge of any air pollutant into the atmosphere from any other source.
	To evolve best economically viable treatment technology for sewage and trade effluents.
	To evolve efficient methods of disposal of sewage and trade effluent on land.
	To monitor the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes.
	To identify and monitor the isolated storage of hazardous chemicals.
	To collect samples of sewage/trade effluents and emissions of air pollutants and to analyze the same for specific parameters.
	To collaborate with Central Pollution Control Board in organizing the training of persons engaged or to be engaged in programmes relating to prevention, control or abatement of water/air pollution and to organize mass education programme relating thereto .

Sl.No.	Various Branches of the Board	Functions
1.	Head Office at Chennai	1.Overall Control of Field Offices and Laboratories 2.Technical/Consent Wing 3.Legal Wing 4.Hazardous Waste Management 5.Biomedical Waste Management 6.Municipal Sold Waste Management 7.Cess Section 8.Ozone Cell 9.Planning and Development Section 10.Monitoring of Highly Polluting Industries 11.Environment Awareness Cell 12.Environmental Training 13.All Environmental Issues
2.	District Offices	1.Monitoring of Industrial Pollution. 2.Inspection and Sample Collection 3.Investigation of Complaints 4.Issue/Renewal of Consent to Orange and Green category industries 5.Renewal of consent for Red small industries 6.Issue of Show Cause Notice to erring Industries 7.Legal Proceedings District Environmental Committees 8.Public Hearing Panels 9.Other District Level Issues
3.	Laboratories	1.Analysis of Effluent /water Samples 2.Analysis of Source Emission Samples 3.Research in abating Pollutants 4.Vehicle Emission Monitoring 5.Monitoring of Water Sources 6.Coastal Monitoring 7.Noise Level Monitoring 8.Monitoring of Air Quality and related projects.

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 Programme, Environmental Pavilion constructed at the Periyar Science and Technology Centre (Chennai), NGO Cell, Publishing of Newsletters/Pamphlets on environmental issues, etc.