Realities unmasked
in a letter to all state chief ministers, Union minister for environment and forests T R Baalu questioned the appointments to pollution control boards (pcb) that were made without following the stipulated requirements in the acts. He directed that appropriate persons be appointed for the key positions and incumbents, not possessing the required criteria be replaced. But the letter seems to have had no impact till now.
Qualifying for the post of a pcb chairperson seems an easy task today. All it takes, to be eligible for the post of the chairperson is a little environmental know-how and a lot of political clout. As per the existing norm, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 a person