Developing a strategy for sustainable operation of environmental compliance assistance centre, West Bengal
Student name: Ms Karishma Vohra
Guide: Dr Suresh Jain
Year of completion: 2013
Host Organisation: TERI University
Abstract: The rapid growth of the Indian economy has been accompanied by higher environmental
degradation and industrial pollution. The government, through its state and central control
boards, has initiated various programmes and undertaken many efforts to bring down the levels
of industrial pollution. It has recognised the imperative need to strengthen the capacity of
national and state level institutions for improved enforcement of environmental compliance. The
Capacity Building for Industrial pollution Management Project has been endeavoured to address
these issues, by the way of reinforcing Environmental Compliance Assistance Centre, West
Bengal. ECAC aims to address the demands and needs of the industry related to compliance
mechanism, pollution prevention and cleaner technologies. The West Bengal Pollution Control
Board and AECEN along with many other strategic partners have provided constant technical
and financial support to ECAC since its inception in 2008. This study focuses on developing a
mechanism or strategy for strengthening ECAC such that it becomes self reliant and achieves
long term sustainability in itself and in assisting the industries. In its endeavour, ECAC would
need to instil and cultivate financial and technical capabilities within its staff and effective
knowledge management of the services offered. The study also explains the major challenges
faced by the SMEs in the state of West Bengal which need to be addressed by an organisation
like ECAC. The constraints faced by the industries in terms of pollution prevention and control
were identified and the services they expected out of ECAC, along with their willingness to pay
was evaluated. The organisational capabilities of ECAC have also been assessed and gaps
identified, for formulating a strategy for better service delivery and penetration among the
industries. The proper functioning of ECAC would generate long term environmental and social
benefits through increased compliance and reduction of pollution, which would also provide long
term benefits to the industries through increased cost effectiveness and public image. This project
would thus, create a centre which would be self sustaining and would create a benchmark in
environment management in the country.
Keywords: Industrial Pollution, ECAC, Financial and Technical capabilities, Knowledge
Management, SMEs
