The Central Pollution Control Board has said that about half of all its sanctioned posts in states and Union territories are vacant, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.

More than 5,600 out of the 11,562 official posts across all state pollution control boards and pollution control committees in Union territories have not been filled, according to an affidavit submitted by the central board to the National Green Tribunal.

Some positions have been vacant for about a month while others have not been filled in decades. At least one post in Punjab has been vacant for more than 35 years.

The state-level bodies were established under the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974. They are responsible for investigating and advising state governments on pollution matters, setting emissions and effluents standards and monitoring compliance with pollution-control norms.

More than 60% of the posts are vacant in 11 states. Sikkim reported the most vacancies, with none of the 11 sanctioned posts filled, reported The Indian Express.

Jharkhand followed with more than 73% of the posts lying vacant. At least 70% of the posts in Andhra Pradesh, 63.7% in Madhya Pradesh and 63% in Manipur are vacant.

In Madhya Pradesh, 783 vacancies out of the total 1,228 were attributed to ongoing litigation.

The Sikkim government told the court that recruitment for the posts was put “on hold” because the state had been “unable” to allocate funds, The Indian Express reported.

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