RTI for Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board — Factory Consent, Hydropower and Environmental Complaint Records

The Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB — the Arunachal Pradesh board, distinct from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board which also uses the same abbreviation) is the statutory environmental regulatory authority for the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It was constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and operates as the primary state-level body responsible for issuing industrial consent orders, regulating pollution from factories and hydropower infrastructure, monitoring river water quality, responding to pollution complaints, and enforcing environmental compliance across one of India's most ecologically extraordinary and geopolitically sensitive states. APPCB is headquartered in Itanagar, the state capital, and is responsible for administering pollution control law across all of Arunachal Pradesh's 26 districts.

As a public authority under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, APPCB is legally obligated to respond to RTI applications within 30 days of receipt. Citizens, environmental researchers, journalists, downstream communities, project-affected persons, and civil society organisations can use RTI to obtain factory consent records, hydropower project environmental compliance documentation, pollution complaint outcomes, river water quality monitoring data, inspection reports, and enforcement orders — bringing into the public domain information that is otherwise invisible to those most affected by industrial and infrastructure activity.

A Critical Clarification: Arunachal Pradesh APPCB vs Andhra Pradesh APPCB

Before proceeding, note an important point of potential confusion. Both the Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board use the abbreviation APPCB. They are completely separate authorities in different states, with different CPIOs, different second-appeal bodies, and entirely different regulatory jurisdictions.

This guide is for the Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, based in Itanagar, regulating industry and environment in Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. Second appeal for Arunachal Pradesh APPCB goes to the Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC).

If your concern relates to Andhra Pradesh — Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, the Krishna or Godavari rivers, or industries in Andhra Pradesh — refer to the separate guide for the Andhra Pradesh APPCB, where second appeal goes to the Andhra Pradesh Information Commission.

Arunachal Pradesh's Environmental Profile

Arunachal Pradesh is unlike any other Indian state in the nature and scale of its environmental challenges. Covering approximately 83,743 square kilometres of the Eastern Himalayas and the Brahmaputra basin, it is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth — home to some of India's last intact tropical and subtropical forests, a globally significant migratory bird corridor, exceptional amphibian and reptile diversity, and rivers that are among the least anthropogenically disturbed large river systems remaining in Asia.

At the same time, Arunachal Pradesh is the site of one of the world's most ambitious hydropower development programmes, significant coal reserves in its eastern districts, and rapidly accelerating road and infrastructure construction — all of which create substantial demands on APPCB's regulatory capacity.

Hydropower: The Dominant Regulated Sector

Arunachal Pradesh's rivers — the Siang (the Indian reach of the Yarlung Tsangpo, which becomes the Brahmaputra downstream), the Dibang, the Lohit, the Subansiri, the Kameng (Jia Bhoroli), the Tirap, and scores of tributaries — descend through extraordinary altitudinal gradients from the Himalayan ranges to the plains of Assam, creating hydropower potential estimated at over 50,000 MW. Arunachal Pradesh accounts for a substantial share of India's hydropower potential and is often described as the "power house of India."

The most significant projects include:

• Dibang Multipurpose Project: A proposed 2,880 MW gravity dam on the Dibang River in Dibang Valley district — one of the largest proposed dams in India. The project has been a subject of extensive environmental debate given its location at the boundary of the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary and its impacts on the Idu Mishmi tribal community.
• Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project: A 2,000 MW project operated by NHPC on the Subansiri river, spanning the Arunachal Pradesh–Assam border, with the dam located in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. After prolonged community protests in Assam regarding downstream flooding risks and downstream communities' concerns, the project has been commissioned in stages.
• Numerous run-of-river projects on the Kameng, Siang, Lohit, Pare, Ranganadi, Tawang, and other rivers — ranging from small projects of a few megawatts to mid-scale projects of 100–500 MW — at various stages of construction, commissioning, or operation.

For each of these projects, APPCB issues state-level Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under the Water Act and Air Act. The dam construction phase involves massive concrete batching plants, stone-crushing units, tunnelling works, and quarry operations that all generate dust, wastewater, and construction effluents requiring APPCB consent compliance. The operational phase involves management of the reservoir, turbine cooling water, and any affected river reach. APPCB holds consent orders, inspection records, and monitoring data for all these activities.

Coal in Tirap, Changlang, and Lohit Districts

Arunachal Pradesh's eastern districts — Tirap, Changlang, and Lohit — contain the easternmost coal deposits in India. These deposits, historically mined in small-scale operations by private lessees, have long been associated with environmental concerns: acid mine drainage, deforestation on mine leases, coal dust affecting local air and water quality, and informal transport-related impacts on road surfaces. APPCB regulates coal mining and coal washing operations in these districts under the Water and Air Acts. RTI can reveal the consent compliance status of specific mining leases, APPCB's inspection records for coal mining areas, and water quality data for rivers in Tirap and Changlang districts affected by mine drainage.

Stone Quarrying and Construction Aggregates

The hydropower construction boom, combined with the Border Roads Organisation's extensive road network expansion in Arunachal Pradesh, has generated enormous demand for construction aggregates — stone, sand, gravel, and crushed rock. Stone quarrying and crushing units have proliferated across many districts. These units generate significant particulate emissions (stone dust), wastewater from wet crushing operations, and river siltation from quarry runoff. APPCB issues consent orders for stone quarries and crushing plants and is responsible for monitoring their compliance.

Biodiversity Sensitivity

The ecological context of APPCB's regulatory work is unusually demanding. Arunachal Pradesh contains India's largest protected area — the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve — as well as Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary, Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary, Pakhui Tiger Reserve, and numerous other protected areas. Rivers flowing through these areas are critical corridors for mahseer (an iconic river fish), the Gangetic river dolphin in downstream reaches, and numerous endemic species. Industrial pollution that might be manageable in a degraded landscape becomes much more consequential in these intact ecosystems. RTI on APPCB's monitoring and enforcement in proximity to protected areas is therefore of particular ecological significance.

What RTI Can Obtain from APPCB

Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate Orders

The core environmental compliance document for any industry in Arunachal Pradesh is the APPCB consent order. The CTE is issued before construction begins; the CTO is issued before operations commence and must be renewed periodically. Consent orders contain:

• The specific effluent discharge standards the industry must meet (permitted volumes, permitted pollutant concentrations)
• Emission standards for air pollutants from process stacks and fugitive sources
• Waste management requirements (solid waste disposal, hazardous waste handling)
• Environmental monitoring obligations (self-monitoring frequency, parameters, reporting)
• Conditions specific to the project's location and environmental sensitivity

RTI can provide copies of the CTE and CTO for any specific factory, quarry, hydropower project auxiliary facility, or coal mine in Arunachal Pradesh. If a unit is operating without a current valid consent, RTI documenting this status is the foundation for a complaint or legal challenge.

Hydropower Project NOCs and Environmental Compliance Records

For hydropower projects, APPCB's records include not only the consent orders for construction-phase activities (concrete batching, quarrying, tunnelling works) but also any state-level NOC correspondence, compliance monitoring reports for conditions attached to state environmental approvals, and inspection reports for the construction site's pollution control infrastructure. These records are held by APPCB and fully accessible via RTI.

Note the distinction between APPCB records and MoEF&CC records: the Environmental Clearance granted by MoEF&CC (for projects above 25 MW) is a central government record available from MoEF&CC's CPIO or through the Parivesh portal. APPCB holds the state-level consent and monitoring records that run in parallel. Both sets of records are valuable, and in practice a complete environmental compliance picture requires RTI to both authorities.

Pollution Complaint Action-Taken Reports (ATRs)

When a community, panchayat, or individual files a pollution complaint with APPCB — whether about dust from a stone crusher, effluent from a timber mill, or turbid discharge from a hydropower construction site — APPCB is expected to investigate and prepare an Action-Taken Report (ATR). The ATR documents what the inspecting officer found, what samples were taken, what violations were noted, and what directions (if any) were issued to the polluting unit.

These ATRs are often the most directly relevant documents for affected communities — they record whether the regulator took the complaint seriously and what action resulted. RTI allows you to obtain the ATR for any specific complaint, even if the original complainant was someone else, since ATRs are official government records not protected by personal privacy.

River Water Quality Monitoring Data

APPCB monitors water quality on Arunachal Pradesh's river systems. Given the hydropower development context, monitoring data from the Siang, Subansiri, Kameng, Dibang, Lohit, and Tirap rivers is particularly important — both for establishing pre-project baseline conditions (where monitoring preceded project construction) and for tracking any changes in downstream water quality associated with construction or operation activities. Parameters monitored typically include pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, heavy metals, oil and grease, and coliform bacteria counts.

This monitoring data is official scientific documentation held by APPCB. Under the RTI Act, it is accessible without any requirement to demonstrate a personal stake in the information. For environmental researchers, journalists, and downstream communities in Assam who depend on the quality of rivers originating in Arunachal Pradesh, this data can be of considerable value.

Inspection Reports and Enforcement Orders

APPCB field officers conduct periodic inspections of all consented industrial units, as well as site visits following complaints. Inspection reports document observed conditions, measurements, samples collected, and violations noted. Following an inspection, APPCB may issue:

• Show-cause notices under the Water Act, 1974 or Air Act, 1981, asking the industry to explain why regulatory action should not be taken
• Directions under Section 33A of the Water Act or Section 31A of the Air Act requiring specific corrective actions
• Closure directions requiring operations to stop pending compliance
• Recommendations for prosecution in courts

All of these enforcement documents are held by APPCB and accessible via RTI. For communities living near a stone quarry, a coal mine, or a hydropower project construction site, knowledge of APPCB's enforcement record for that specific facility is essential context for any advocacy or formal complaint to state or national authorities.

Step-by-Step Guide to Filing RTI with APPCB

Step 1: Identify the Factory, Project, or Issue Precisely

Effective RTI with APPCB requires specificity. Before drafting your application:

• Name the facility precisely: APPCB maintains its records by facility name and location. Refer to the factory, quarry, or hydropower project by its registered name and address, including district.
• Identify the record type: Consent orders, inspection reports, ATRs on complaints, water quality data, and enforcement orders are different categories stored separately.
• Specify the time period: A financial year (e.g., 2023–24) or a specific date range keeps the request manageable and reduces the likelihood of an ambiguous or incomplete response.

Step 2: Draft Your Application

Use the sample RTI application above as a template. Number each piece of information separately. Where you are seeking water quality data, specify the river name, the monitoring station location if known, and the parameters of interest. Where you seek consent orders, give the full facility name and address.

Step 3: File Online or by Post

APPCB is a state public authority of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Its RTI applications can be filed via the national portal at rtionline.gov.in, which routes to the relevant state authority. Online filing is strongly recommended — it creates an immediate acknowledgement with a registration number and a fully documented trail for appeal purposes.

To file by post or in person, send your written application with a ₹10 Indian Postal Order or demand draft drawn in favour of the Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board to:

The CPIOArunachal Pradesh Pollution Control BoardItanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

BPL cardholders are exempt from the ₹10 fee — attach an attested copy of your BPL ration card with the application.

Step 4: Track Your Application

Under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, APPCB must respond within 30 days of receipt. If information relates to the life or liberty of a person — for example, an acute industrial pollution emergency — Section 7(1) proviso requires disclosure within 48 hours. If you filed online, track the status using your registration number. Retain all acknowledgements.

Key RTI Act Provisions for APPCB Applications

• Section 2(h): APPCB is a public authority — a statutory body constituted under the Water Act, 1974, and funded in part from the Consolidated Fund of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Section 2(f): Consent orders, inspection reports, monitoring data, enforcement orders, ATRs, and NOC correspondence are all "information" as defined — held by or under the control of APPCB.
• Section 6: The procedure for filing your RTI application with the prescribed fee of ₹10.
• Section 7(1): APPCB must respond within 30 days; within 48 hours where the information relates to the life or liberty of a person.
• Section 19(1): First Appeal to the First Appellate Authority within 30 days.
• Section 19(3): Second Appeal to the Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC) within 90 days.
• Section 20: Penalty on the CPIO personally — ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000 maximum) — for unjustified refusal, deliberate delay, or furnishing of false or incomplete information.

First Appeal — Section 19(1)

If APPCB does not respond within 30 days, or the response is incomplete or unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. Address it to the First Appellate Authority at APPCB — typically the Member Secretary or the Chairman of the Board. No fee is payable for the First Appeal.

In your First Appeal, include:

• The registration number and date of your original RTI application
• The specific information that was not provided or was provided in an incomplete or incorrect form
• Your reasons for believing the refusal or omission is not justified under the RTI Act's exemption provisions (Sections 8 and 9)

The FAA must decide within 30 days, extendable to 45 days with reasons recorded in writing.

Second Appeal — Section 19(3) — Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC)

If the First Appeal is unsatisfactory or unanswered, the Second Appeal under Section 19(3) lies with the Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC) — not the Central Information Commission (CIC). This is the most critical jurisdictional distinction for applicants to understand. APPCB (Arunachal Pradesh) is a state public authority, and second appeals against state public authorities of Arunachal Pradesh are exclusively within the jurisdiction of APIC.

Do not file at the CIC portal with CIC as the second-appeal body. The CIC's jurisdiction is limited to Central Government public authorities and Union Territory bodies not having their own Information Commission. Arunachal Pradesh has its own State Information Commission — APIC — and all second appeals against Arunachal Pradesh state bodies, including APPCB, must go there.

File your Second Appeal with APIC within 90 days of the FAA's order or the expiry of the FAA's response deadline. APIC has the power to:

• Direct APPCB to provide the requested information
• Impose a Section 20 penalty on the CPIO personally (₹250/day, up to ₹25,000 maximum)
• Award compensation to the applicant for demonstrable loss caused by wrongful non-disclosure
• Recommend disciplinary action against the CPIO in cases of persistent non-compliance

Practical Tips for APPCB RTI Applications

1. Clarify you mean Arunachal Pradesh, not Andhra Pradesh. When filing, especially online, the abbreviation APPCB creates ambiguity in portals that route by abbreviation. If in doubt, spell out "Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh" in full to ensure routing to the correct authority.
2. Hydropower + pollution control is a two-authority issue. For a hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh, Environmental Clearance is held by MoEF&CC (Central Government); Forest Clearance by MoEF&CC; and state consent orders by APPCB. You may need RTI to all three to get the full picture. This guide covers the APPCB component only.
3. Name the project or factory precisely. APPCB's records are organised by facility name and district. Reference the project by its official name as it appears in government documents — for example, "Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project, NHPC, Lower Subansiri District" rather than "the NHPC dam."
4. Coal district applications. For coal mining areas in Tirap and Changlang, specify the mine name, lessee name, and district. Coal mine consent compliance in these districts is a particularly important area where RTI can document whether small and medium mine operators are meeting APPCB conditions.
5. River water quality data is the strongest starting point. Of all APPCB records, ambient water quality monitoring data is the most difficult for a PIO to refuse under any RTI exemption. If your concern is river pollution — whether from a hydropower project's construction activities, a stone quarry, or a coal mine — start with the water quality monitoring reports as your foundation.
6. Second appeal goes to APIC, not CIC. Even applicants who have successfully filed Central Government RTI (on NHPC as a Central PSU, or on MoEF&CC) often mistakenly route the APPCB second appeal to the CIC. For APPCB (Arunachal Pradesh), the second-appeal authority is always the Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC).
7. Downstream communities in Assam have standing. RTI under the RTI Act, 2005 can be filed by any Indian citizen — there is no requirement that you live in Arunachal Pradesh to file with APPCB. Communities in Assam affected by hydropower projects and quarrying on Arunachal Pradesh rivers, or researchers and journalists covering these issues from anywhere in India, can file RTI with APPCB without any residency requirement.
8. Section 20 penalty request. In your Second Appeal to APIC, always explicitly request that the Commission consider imposing the Section 20 penalty on the CPIO if the delay or refusal was unjustified. This keeps APIC attentive to enforcement and is particularly relevant where APPCB's delayed disclosure has caused a community to miss a legal or advocacy window.

RTI is among the most effective instruments available to citizens, environmental advocates, affected tribal communities, and researchers seeking accountability from APPCB for its regulatory function over Arunachal Pradesh's fast-changing industrial and infrastructure landscape. Arunachal Pradesh's rivers — the Siang that becomes the Brahmaputra, the Dibang, the Lohit, the Subansiri, the Kameng — are among the last major Himalayan rivers carrying the ecological memory of intact watersheds. Where industrial activity threatens that inheritance, RTI provides the documented foundation for scrutiny, advocacy, and legal challenge.