The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board for Prevention and Control of  Water Pollution was constituted by the Government of Karnataka on The Twenty First of September Nineteen Seventy Four (21.9.1974) in pursuance of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,  1974 . The Water Act will provide for the prevention and control of water pollution and maintaining or restoring of wholesomeness of water. After the enactment of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The enforcing   responsibility was entrusted to the above Board.  As such, the Board was later renamed as the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board in 1985 . The Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is an enactment to provide for prevention , control and abatement of air pollution.

Apart from the above said Acts, the Board is also enforcing the following Acts & Rules :

The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977, and as amended in  1991.

1. Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998, and Amendment Rules 2000.

Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001

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The Board has its Central Office at Bangalore . The enforcement of the above stated Acts and Rules are being implemented through  thirty three  Regional Offices. Eleven  Regional offices are operating in Bangalore city namely, Bangalore City-1, Bangalore City-2, Bangalore City-3, Bangalore South-1, Bangalore South-2, Bangalore-North1, Bangalore-North2, Bangalore-East1, Bangalore-East2, Bangalore-West and Peenya and one each at Mysore, Mangalore, Hassan, Dharwad, Davangere, Belgaum, Gulbarga, Raichur, Tumkur, Kolar, Mandya, Udupi, Karwar, Shimoga, Chitradurga, Bijapur, Bidar, Bellary,  Bagalkote, Chamarajanagar, Koppal and Chickmagalur.    

 The Central laboratory of the Board is located at Bangalore . Regional laboratories have been set up along with Regional Offices of Mysore, Mangalore, Hasssan, Dharwad, Raichur, Davanagere, Gulbarga and Belgaum .

The Central Office of the Board is responsible for making general policies relating to enforcement of the above said Acts and Rules and it also carries out general administration and co-ordination with other agencies. The Central Laboratory of the Board is well - equipped and can take up analysis of water, waste water, stack emission samples, ambient air samples, bio-assay tests, bacteriological analysis, etc.