Noida: An RTI response has revealed that the country’s apex air pollution watchdog is itself battling a manpower shortage. Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), responsible for coordinating pollution control measures across NCR — one of India’s worst pollution hotspots — is functioning with barely 70% of its sanctioned workforce. Worse, there is no plan to fill the remaining vacancies.The reply has raised concerns over the commission’s ability to effectively monitor and enforce pollution-control measures, including Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), across 27 districts spanning Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.According to the response received by Noida-based environmentalist Amit Gupta, CAQM has only 40 personnel against a sanctioned strength of 56, leaving 16 posts vacant. The commission also stated that no recruitment process is currently underway to fill these vacancies. Last year, only three appointments were made, while one post was filled in 2024, the reply said.The revelation comes at a time when CAQM is expected to coordinate action across multiple states, oversee implementation of GRAP, enforce compliance and respond swiftly to pollution episodes during winter.While the RTI did not mention any alternative staffing plan, CAQM has separately floated a tender to appoint consultants for a project management unit (PMU) to provide programme management, technical and analytical support.Without commenting on the vacancies, a CAQM official said the PMU would strengthen planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of annual action plans.“It will manage the GRAP control room and support programmes monitored through Integrated Information and Coordination Centre (I3C), all aimed at improving air quality in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas,” the official said.Technical and financial bids for the project are scheduled to be opened on July 8.Gupta said he sought the information on vacancies after repeatedly noticing weak enforcement by pollution control agencies. “I wanted to know the staffing position of the apex body responsible for tackling NCR’s air pollution. If CAQM itself is short-staffed and has no recruitment plan, planning and implementation are bound to suffer,” he said.Gupta added that the vacancies had reduced only marginally — from 18 to 16 — since his previous RTI despite fresh appointments, including that of the member secretary. “Critical responsibilities should not depend primarily on outsourced agencies. The Centre should fill these posts at the earliest,” he said.A CAQM official said the commission’s work is also supported by statutory sub-committees, which help enforce environmental laws, coordinate the “airshed” approach, recover environmental compensation from violators and initiate prosecution where required.
