MUMBAI: Maharashtra Pollution Control Board chief and Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam’s son Siddhesh Kadam on Friday defended his appointment to the key post saying it could not have been made without thorough scrutiny.
The appointment of Siddhesh Kadam as the MPCB chairman has drawn criticism on social media from political workers, who claimed that such a move will eventually paralyse the functioning of a crucial institution like the MPCB. Siddhesh is the younger son of Ramdas Kadam, who was earlier the state minister for Environment and Climate Change. His elder brother Yogesh Kadam is the MLA from Dapoli and belongs to the Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“The state government and the office of Maharashtra chief minister made my appointment as the chairman of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. The department concerned must have done proper scrutiny before arriving at this decision,” Siddhesh told PTI.
About the noise over his appointment, he said, “I am a science graduate and hold an MBA (international) degree from Deakin University of Australia. I should be judged by the work I do. I will respond to the criticism only through my work.”
As per a gazette notification concerning the Environment and Climate Change Department, a person with 25 years of experience in matters related to environmental protection or having experience in institutions dealing with matters relating to environmental protection can be appointed as chief of MPCB.
As per the notification, if the government wishes to appoint an official as MPCB chairperson, the individual “is or has been in Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who is holding or has held the post in the rank of the Secretary or above”.
It says the official should have a degree in Science or Engineering and has the knowledge in respect of matters relating to environmental protection and experience in administering institutions or departments of the Central government or state government or Public Sector Undertakings dealing with matters relating to environmental protection.
About the education qualification, the rules mandate holding a Master’s Degree in Science relating to the environment or a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering in a discipline relating to the environment or civil or chemical from a recognized university or institute, the notification says. The Environment and Climate Change Department, which is headed by CM Shinde, said in the appointment order on Wednesday that Siddhesh would replace A L Jarhad.
Jarhad was appointed as MPCB chairman on September 7, 2023, but he remained absent without giving any valid reason, and hence he was removed, it said.
Ramdas Kadam, a veteran Shiv Sena leader and former environment minister, sided with Shinde when the latter rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in June 2022.
Source: Press Trust of India
