Gurgaon South officer holds additional charge amid 27 HSPCB vacancies

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has assigned the Gurgaon South regional office’s charge to an executive engineer who also has other responsibilities, according to an RTI response issued on September 2.

The response lists 27 vacant sanctioned posts against a total sanctioned strength of 483. The vacancies include seven senior scientists, five environmental engineers, five Scientist-B posts, two chief scientific officers and two assistant environmental engineers.

The board has 41 officials on deputation, including six executive engineers, 20 assistant environmental engineers and several scientists. Seven executive engineers posted at the head office have also been given charge of regional offices, including Gurgaon South, Kaithal, Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad and Ambala.

In April 2023, the National Green Tribunal directed pollution control boards to keep key regulatory posts, including those of regional officers, engineers and scientists, staffed full-time without additional charge. HSPCB said it had not sought recruitment through the Haryana Public Service Commission or Haryana Staff Selection Commission, and had not sought an increase in its sanctioned strength.

RTI applicant Varun Gulati said the vacant posts should be filled with dedicated technical staff.