NGT questions pollution control board appointments:

NGT questions pollution control board appointments:

Appointments in Pollution Control Boards under Scrutiny

Context:

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has questioned pollution control board appointments

Details:

•  NGT has directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to explain within a week whether appointments of chairmen and member secretaries in State pollution control boards have been made as per the guidelines laid down by NGT.
•   A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar has warned that if the reply is not filed by the State Pollution Control Boards within the specified time, it would impose a cost of Rs. 25,000 on each defaulting State or UT.

What is the issue?

•  In August 2016, the NGT had asked the State governments to fill the vacancies in the boards as per guidelines stipulated by it.
•  The tribunal had reiterated the concept of adhocism in appointments and had directed that only qualified person with fixed tenure should be appointed.
• According to the June 8th NGT order in Supreme Court, heads of 10 State Pollution Control Boards had been barred from working till the appointments are made in accordance to NGT judgement.
• The states are Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra and Manipur.
•  The judgement had come on plea by an Uttarakhand resident who had challenged the constitution of state pollution control boards on the ground that people who did not qualify were appointed as chairman, member secretary and members of these boards.