SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has two air pollution testing laboratories established under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Union government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, outlining the existing infrastructure for air quality monitoring in the Union Territory.
In a written reply to an unstarred question, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said that the laboratories in Jammu and Kashmir function under the Pollution Control Committee (PCC) framework and are recognised in accordance with provisions of the Air Act. The ministry said Jammu and Kashmir is among the Union Territories, barring Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Ladakh, that have established laboratories for air pollution monitoring.
The government said that across the country, 213 laboratories have been established or recognised by 28 State Pollution Control Boards and six Pollution Control Committees under the Air Act. These laboratories are responsible for monitoring air quality parameters in compliance with standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to the data placed before Parliament, Jammu and Kashmir has two laboratories established by the Pollution Control Committee under Section 17(2) of the Air Act. No additional laboratories have been notified as State Air Laboratories under Section 28(1) of the Act in the Union Territory.
The ministry said that State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees receive funding primarily from their respective State governments or Union Territory administrations. Additional revenue is generated through consent fees and service charges collected for regulatory and testing services. The Centre does not directly appoint staff for these bodies, with recruitment being the responsibility of the concerned State or Union Territory administration.
At the national level, the ministry informed Parliament that there is a significant shortage of technical manpower in pollution control bodies. As of August 31, 2025, 47.59 per cent of sanctioned scientific and technical posts in State Pollution Control Boards and 43.78 per cent in Pollution Control Committees were vacant. The ministry said it has requested States and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, to fill vacancies and strengthen laboratory capacity.
The government said that testing capacity, monitoring parameters and compliance with CPCB standards are maintained by the laboratories as per prescribed norms, and that upgrades and staffing are handled by the respective Pollution Control Boards and Committees under their regulatory frameworks.
