Bhupender Yadav presides over 51st Foundation Day of Central Pollution Control Board in New Delhi

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) celebrated its 51^st Foundation Day, at Parivesh Bhawan, New Delhi, on September 22, 2025. The event was graced by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, as the Chief Guest. On the occasion, the Union Minister extended greetings and congratulations to the CPCB employees on the momentous occasion of 51^st foundation day. Shri Yadav appreciated that CPCB has established its credibility in the country in the past five decades, with its reports trusted by the Courts and the citizens of this country.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister stated that as the country moves towards the goal of becoming a 5 trillion-dollar economy, with historic GST reforms to be implemented from today, there is a need to evolve environmental regulations and norms so that economy and ecology go hand-in-hand. Collaboration with IITs, reputed academic institutes and leading research bodies is required for development of new technologies and expanding environmental laboratories in the country. “We need to come out with new low-polluting alternatives and cleaner technologies for strengthening Make-In-India, along with ensuring wider availability of these technologies”, he added.

Underlining the importance of capacity building, Shri Yadav stated that CPCB has a major role to play in capacity building of State Boards and agencies. CPCB should be the umbrella organisation for capacity building in environmental matters of the country, and should become a mentor. Reflecting on the recent reforms brought out by the Government of India in form of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 (decriminalizing provisions) and Environment Audit Rules, 2025, the Minister expressed that Rules and regulations made by the Government would not be effective unless there’s a behavioural change, and thus, Environmental protection should be a part of our collective environmental consciousness. He emphasised that regulatory mechanisms need to be seen along with societal growth, and it is important to link social science with science and technology to instill behavioural change.

During the event, Shri Yadav laid the foundation stone of CPCB’s new building. Additionally, two new laboratories at CPCB’s Regional Directorates in Pune and Shillong were inaugurated. These facilities are equipped to monitor up to 70 and 62 environmental parameters respectively, and would respectively serve Maharashtra and the North-Eastern States of Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim.