India has enacted several steps to mitigate air and water pollution in India. One such step was the establishment of the Central Pollution Control Board in 1974.  This move was replicated by other state governments, who in turn set up State Pollution Control Boards.

These boards are in charge of gathering all the relevant information and statistics related to pollution, including land, water and air pollution. They transform this data and publish it to increase general awareness in the public. They also lay down standards to limit pollution. They also furnish technical and technological assistance to any organisations or nonprofits engaged in preserving the environment. They are responsible for promoting health and sanitation by eliminating water pollution. Additionally, they often fund research and investigatory projects that relate to pollution sciences. The Pollution Control boards discharge a variety of other secondary functions as well, including stipulating particular codes and frameworks to ensure safe and lawful disposal of industrial waste. They further regulate the aerial pollution created by large-scale factories by requiring the use of precipitators and filters in the chimneys and incinerators. Such rules are enforced by periodic inspection and assessment of the industries under the Board’s mandate through local officials, who make certain that the treatment and disposal measures taken by these are adequate. Air and water quality data can be sourced from these boards. They are also responsible for monitoring the quality of water in over 120 rivers and various other smaller water bodies in the country, particularly when used locally as a source of potable water. These measures are both complementary and supplementary to those adopted by the Centralised Ministry of the Environment.