Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment and Forests K. Pawan Kalyan has called for measures to strengthen the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) so that it can effectively curb pollution without hindering industrial development.

He directed APPCB staff to prepare a comprehensive report on their roles and funding requirements, while cautioning the Board against individuals attempting to misuse its name for personal gain. Expressing concern, he noted that even in the catchment areas of the Godavari river, people were being forced to buy drinking water due to pollution caused by aqua farms and paper mills nearby.

Reviewing the functioning of the APPCB in the wake of allegations by Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao—that some top officials were influenced by companies allegedly violating pollution control norms—Mr. Kalyan said that though the APPCB was a statutory body with limited government oversight, it should function in a manner that leaves no room for suspicion.

Unlike departments such as Panchayat Raj, which are directly supervised by the government, the APPCB operates under its own statutory powers, he pointed out. He cautioned that regulatory enforcement should not force industries to relocate, as reportedly happened during the YSR Congress Party’s tenure.

Citing the LG Polymers tragedy, in which several people lost their lives, he stressed that such incidents should not be forgotten. Since accidents cannot always be predicted, round-the-clock monitoring was essential, he said, while advising the adoption of advanced technologies to reduce pollution and prevent industrial disasters.

Mr. Pawan Kalyan asked officials to submit a detailed report on the APPCB, noting that he would make it public in the interest of transparency, and to prevent vested interests from raising doubts about the Board’s integrity.

Government Principal Secretary (Environment and Forests) Kantilal Dande, PR Commissioner M.V.R. Krishna Teja, and other senior officials attended the meeting.