The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is in the eye of the storm again. After raking up controversy on the premature resignation of its former chairman early this year, allegedly due to pressures from the Environment Ministry, eyebrows are now being raised on the role of the latter in the appointment of the next incumbent in the authority.
While sources mentioned that the choice of candidate has been done in a hurry by the Ministry heads, to accommodate a senior official who will retire soon, certain experts have taken up the issue with the PM, in view of the importance of the post heading this autonomous statutory body. Currently, Hem Pandey, Joint Secretary, Environment Ministry has held additional charge of the post.
The sources regretted that former Chairman NBA Baklakrishna Pisupati was compelled to step down in February, prior to the completion of his term in August, due to his growing differences with the Ministry. The Ministry officials have been dictating terms in the day-to-day affairs of the NBA. “The whole purpose of NBA has been rendered futile as its functioning is not in the line of a statutory body,” lamented the sources. The stage is now being set for Secretary, Environment Ministry, to fill up this top slot. He is due to retire in August,
Social activist Dr HN Sharma and political advisor to former Prime Minister late Chandrashekhar has taken strong exceptions against the move. In a letter to the PM, he has pointed out the importance of the country as a bio-diversity hotspot and the multifarious responsibilities of the Chairman of the NBA. He has alleged that the processes in connection with the appointment of this mandatory and statutory body have been completed in utter haste and that too when the Election Code of Conduct was clamped. He has called for putting an immediate hold to these processes till the formation of the next Government.