"Environmental problems are really social problems. They begin with people as the cause, and end with people as victims. They are usually born of ignorance and apathy. It is people who create a bad environment and a bad environment brings out the worst in people. Man and nature need each other, and by hurting one we wound the other......"

Edmund Hillary 
"ECOLOGY 2000"

U.P Pollution Control Board is a statutory organization entrusted to implement Environmental Laws and rules within the jurisdiction of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. U.P. Water Pollution Prevention and Control Board, constituted on February 3, 1975, initially under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act., 1974, was consequently rechristened as U.P. Pollution Control Board on 13th July,1982, subsequent to the enactment of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The Board was also entrusted with the powers and functions under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977 along with other responsibilities under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986. Principal functions of the Board , as spelt out in the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 is the prevention , control and abatement of water and air pollution. The main effort of the board is to assist the industries and entrepreneurs to discharge their daily basic obligations to safe guard environment. The Water and Air Quality monitoring is an important part of the Environmental Management. It also provides background data needed for industrial siting and town planning. Board is regularly quality monitoring the major surface water bodies at 34 places and ambient air quality at 19 places in the state. U.P. Pollution Control Board function's through its 18 Regional Offices spread all over the state along with its Head Office at PICUP Bhawan, B-Block, III Floor , Vibhuti Khand , Gomti Nagar, Lucknow (India).

FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD : The following are the major functions being carried out by the U.P. Pollution Control Board in exercise of the duties conferred on it under the Water Act, 1974; Water cess Act, 1977; Air Act, 1981; and Environment Protection Act, 1986. Issue of No Objection Certificates from the environmental pollution point of view including adequacy of the site from the environmental angle. Issue of Consent under provisions of section 25/26 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Issue of Consent under provisions of section-21 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Assessment and collection of Water Cess, under provision of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977. Identification and assessment of industrial and municipal pollution sources and control thereof. Assessment of ambient air quality. Assessment of quality of inland surface waters. Mass awareness programmes. Notification of effluent and emission standards. Development of Pollution Control technologies. Instituting legal action against defaulters. Issue of Authorization under the Hazardous Waste Management Rule, 1989. Identification of isolated storages, onsite crisis management plans etc. under the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989. Implementation of Biomedical Waste Rules, 1998.