Fighting Pollution With Data in Gujarat

This case study describes the tensions between policy and action in attempts to control environmental pollution in the state of Gujarat, India. It describes debates between the Pollution Control Board and industrial plant owners who felt their required annual audit reports were a bureaucratic waste of time and money. When a lawsuit to end the audits failed, the pollution board was required to act and ensure that "data collected through [audit] reports does not collect dust in the archives of the office but is put to meaningful use." This case examines the conflict of interest that arises when auditors are hired and paid by the organizations whose operations depend on positive audit reports. By closely analyzing the competing incentives at play for regulators, firms, and auditors, students will gain a deeper understanding of how regulations in a wide range of sectors, including the environment and finance, can be made more effective.

The case is part of a series produced by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program, hosted by the HKS Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence (SLATE) initiative, the world’s largest producer and repository of case studies designed for teaching about how government works and how public policy is made. Each case in the series is designed to train public leaders, and introduces actual policy dilemmas along with data to equip students to learn how to apply the rigor of quantitative analysis in the real world.

This case may be purchased for a nominal fee; registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include short free documents and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.