Ministry bosses in panel to review own decisions
The senior most forest officer in the country will now be sitting as a member of an SC-appointed committee, reviewing the very decisions he takes as part of the government.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: In a clear case of conflict of interest, the senior most forest officer in the country, Director General of Forests (DGF) P R Mohanty, will now be sitting as a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC), reviewing the very decisions he takes as part of the government.
The DGF, a special secretary-level official, is not the only controversial appointee on the committee. Another member, P V Jayakrishnan, a retired environment secretary whose name was recommended in his personal capacity by the environment ministry while he headed it, continues on CEC even after a recent reconstitution.
Another forest official, N K Joshi, who had become member in his personal capacity while serving in the ministry, was ousted in the reshuffle.
To round off the curious circle, CEC secretary M K Jiwrajika, another senior serving forest official, till recently was drawing his salary from a fund created on CEC's recommendations, taxing project developers for using forest land.
The recent CEC reconstitution by the apex court because of the government's objections has, instead of cleaning up the situation, brought in the DGF and placed him in this unique overlap of the judiciary and executive.
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SC forest panel has heard 2,000 cases till date
The DGF, a special secretary-level official, is not the only controversial appointee on the committee. Another member, P V Jayakrishnan, a retired environment secretary whose name was recommended in his personal capacity by the environment ministry while he headed it, continues on CEC even after a recent reconstitution.
Another forest official, N K Joshi, who had become member in his personal capacity while serving in the ministry, was ousted in the reshuffle.
To round off the curious circle, CEC secretary M K Jiwrajika, another senior serving forest official, till recently was drawing his salary from a fund created on CEC's recommendations, taxing project developers for using forest land.
The recent CEC reconstitution by the apex court because of the government's objections has, instead of cleaning up the situation, brought in the DGF and placed him in this unique overlap of the judiciary and executive.
Also read
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SC forest panel has heard 2,000 cases till date
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