Chapter II CENTRAL AND STATE BOARDS FOR THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION

The Central Pollution Control Board constituted under section 3 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (6 of 1974), shall, without prejudice to the exercise and performance of its powers and functions under that Act, exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Central Pollution Control Board for the prevention and control of air pollution under this Act.

In any State in which the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (6 of 1974), is in force and the State Government has constituted for that State a State Pollution Control Board under section 4 of that Act, such State Board shall be deemed to be the State Board for the Prevention and Control of air Pollution constituted under section 5 of this Act, and accordingly that State Pollution Control Board shall, without prejudice to the exercise and performance of its powers and functions under that Act, exercise the powers and perform the functions of the State Board for the prevention and control of air pollution under this Act.

No State Board shall be constituted for a Union territory and in relation to a Union territory, the Central Board shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of a State Board under this Act for that Union territory: Provided that in relation to any Union territory the Central Board may delegate all or any of its powers and functions under this section to such person or body of persons as the Central Government may specify.

(1) Save as otherwise provided by or under this Act, a member of a State Board constituted under this Act, other than the member-secretary, shall hold office for a term of three years from the date on which his nomination is notified in the Official Gazette: Provided that a member shall, notwithstanding the expiration of his term, continue to hold office until his successor enters upon his office. (2) The terms of office of a member of a State Board constituted under this Act and nominated under clause (b) or clause (e) of sub-section (2) of section 5 shall come to an end as soon as he ceases to hold the office under the State Government or, as the case may be, the company or corporation owned, controlled or managed by the State Government, by virtue of which he was nominated. (3) A member of a State Board constituted under this Act, other than the member-secretary, may at any time resign his office by writing under his hand addressed,— (a) in the case of the Chairman, to the State Government; and (b) in any other case, to the Chairman of the State Board, and the seat of the Chairman or such other member shall thereupon become vacant. (4) A member of a State Board constituted under this Act, other than the member-secretary, shall be deemed to have vacated his seat, if he is absent without reason, sufficient in the opinion of the State Board, from three consecutive meetings of the State Board or where he is nominated under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 5, he ceases to be a member of the local authority and such vacation of seat shall, in either case, take effect from such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. (5) A casual vacancy in a State Board constituted under this Act shall be filled by a fresh nomination and the person nominated to fill the vacancy shall hold office only for the remainder of the term for which the member whose place he takes was nominated. (6) A member of a State Board constituted under this Act shall be eligible for re-nomination. (7) The other terms and conditions of service of the Chairman and other members (except the member-secretary) of a State Board constituted under this Act shall be such as may be prescribed.

(1) No person shall be a member of a State Board constituted under this Act, who— (a) is, or at any time has been, adjudged insolvent, or (b) is of unsound mind and has been so declared by a competent court, or (c) is, or has been, convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the State Government, involves moral turpitude, or (d) is, or at any time has been, convicted of an offence under this Act, or (e) has directly or indirectly by himself on by any partner, any share or interest in any Firm or company carrying on the business of manufacture, sale, or hire of machinery, industrial plant, control equipment or any other apparatus for the improvement of the quality of air or for the prevention, control or abatement of air pollution, or (f) is a director or a secretary, manager or other salaried officer or employee of any company or firm having any contract with the Board, or with the Government constituting the Board or with a local authority in the State, or with a company or corporation owned, controlled or managed by the Government, for the carrying out of programmes for the improvement of the quality of air or for the prevention, control or abatement of air pollution, or (g) has so abused, in the opinion of the State Government, his position as a member, as to render his continuance on the State Board detrimental to the interest of the general public. (2) The State Government shall, by order in writing, remove any member who is, or has become, subject to any disqualification mentioned in sub-section (1). Provided that no order of removal shall be made by the State Government under this section unless the member concerned has been given a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the same. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (6) of section 7, a member who has been removed under this section shall not be eligible to continue to hold office until his successor enters upon his office, or, as the case may be, for re-nomination as a member.

If a member of a State Board constituted under this Act becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in section 8, his seat shall become vacant.

(1) For the purposes of this Act, a Board shall meet at least once in every three months and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings as may be prescribed: Provided that if, in the opinion of the Chairman, any business of an urgent nature is to be transacted, he may convene a meeting of the Board at such time as he thinks fit for the aforesaid purpose. (2) Copies of minutes of the meetings under sub-section (1) shall be forwarded to the Central Board and to the State Government concerned.

(1) A Board may associate with itself in such manner, and for such purposes, as may be prescribed, any person whose assistance or advice it may desire to obtain in performing any of its functions under this Act. (2) A person associated with the Board under sub-section (1) for any purpose shall have a right to take part in the discussions of the Board relevant to that purpose, but shall not have a right to vote at a meeting of the Board and shall not be a member of the Board for any other purpose. (3) A person associated with a Board under sub-section (1) shall be entitled to receive such fees and allowances as may be prescribed.

No act or proceeding of a Board or any committee thereof shall be called in question on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Board or such committee, as the case may be.

(1) The terms and conditions of service of the member-secretary of a State Board constituted under this Act shall be such as may be prescribed. (2) The member-secretary of a State Board, whether constituted under this Act or not, shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed, or as may, from time to time, be delegated to him by the State Board or its Chairman. (3) subject to such rules as may be made by the State Government in this behalf, a State Board, whether constituted under this Act or not, may appoint such officers and other employees as it considers necessary for the efficient performance of its functions under this Act. (4) The method of appointment, the conditions of service and the scales of pay of the officers (other than the member-secretary) and other employees of a State Board appointed under sub-section (3) shall be such as may be determined by regulations made by the State Board under this Act. (5) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, a State Board constituted under this Act may from time to time appoint any qualified person to be a consultant to the Board and pay him such salary and allowances or fees, as it thinks fit. (3) Expenses, if any, incurred by the State Board, authority or agency with respect to the remedial measures referred to in sub-section (2) together with interest (at such reasonable rate, as the State Government may, by order, fix) from the date when a demand for the expenses is made until it is paid, may be recovered by that Board, authority or agency from the person concerned, as arrears of land revenue, or of public demand.

A State Board may, by general or special order, delegate to the Chairman or the member-secretary or any other officer of the Board subject to such conditions and limitations, if any, as may be specified in the order, such of its powers and functions under this Act as it may deem necessary.