Activists and Experts Demand Accountability: Why the Environment Ministry is Failing to Utilize Essential Funds

The issue of underutilized pollution control funds in India highlights a frustrating reality: strong policies often fail without effective execution. Bhavreen Khandari, co-founder of Warrior Moms, a group advocating for clean air, emphasizes that countries that act decisively on environmental issues see far better results than those that get bogged down in bureaucracy.

Organized by a parliamentary committee led by BJP MP Bhubaneswar Kalita, a recent report found that Rs 858 crore allocated to pollution control remains unused. Experts like Dharmesh Shah, an environmental policy analyst, argue that the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change needs to be more transparent about its spending and the reasons behind it. He believes the government’s focus on easing business regulations has not translated into effective pollution control.

Manoj Kumar from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air identifies key problems causing the underuse of funds. He notes a lack of manpower and poor coordination among government levels. For example, many cities fail to conduct important studies to trace pollution sources, making it difficult to develop effective solutions. So far, only 50 out of 130 cities have completed these essential studies.

Meanwhile, Khandari suggests India could learn from China. Once notorious for poor air quality, China implemented strict emission controls and invested heavily in clean energy. As a result, cities like Beijing have seen significant improvements in air quality over the past decade, with PM2.5 levels dropping by more than 50% between 2013 and 2021.

In contrast, the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) in India suffers from slow implementation and a lack of coordination. Khandari points out that in the financial year 2021-22, less than 40% of the allocated NCAP funds were disbursed to states.

The report has sparked discussions and varied reactions among state governments. Some have blamed delays on political situations or tenders; others indicated that operational issues have hindered their capacity to use funds effectively. For instance, states like Assam and Telangana have promised improvements in their fund utilization very soon.

The underutilization of pollution control funds represents a public health crisis affecting everyone. It’s essential for the government to prioritize swift and effective action to tackle pollution. This situation is a call for accountability and effective implementation of environmental policies—because clean air should be a right for all.

For further information on state-level pollution efforts and the implications of air quality, you can check the Central Pollution Control Board’s reports.

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