‘Decision made by flouting rules’: Opp slams MPCB chairman’s appointment

Leader of Opposition in legislative assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, questioned whether the government’s posts were now being used to settle issues between political parties. “The government is using such posts as lollipop to keep sons of disgruntled leaders happy. It is clear Siddhesh Kadam’s appointment is in violation of rules. It seems the government is using this post to pacify angry leaders in their parties,” said Wadettiwar.

The Congress leader claimed that all three parties are indulged in this sort of ‘settlement’ ahead of Lok Sabha elections to make unhappy leaders happy.

The Indian Express on Friday reported that even though the Maharashtra government appointed Siddhesh Kadam as the new chairman of MPCB on March 6, under the existing rules, only a person with 25 years of experience in matters and institutions related to environmental protection can be appointed to the post.

Kadam is 41 years old and is the younger son of Ramdas Kadam who was the state’s former environment minister under the previous BJP-Shiv Sena government government. Ramdas Kadam Thursday had lashed out at the BJP alleging it was shortchanging the Shiv Sena in the seat sharing talks for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Maharashtra government on March 6 issued a gazette notification removing the previous incumbent IAS officer A L Jarhad from the post, citing “the chairman is absent for a long period without any reason from the office”. Jarhad was appointed the MPCB chairman September 7, 2021.