Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The state government violated rules and ignored objections while making a crucial appointment in the environment department that enforces environment impact assessment (EIA) rules and appraises projects of national importance, an audit report by the Principal Accountant General has said.
The audit report, reviewed by DH, shows that on January 23, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who holds the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) portfolio, had approved the appointment of one Dr C T Puttaswamy as director (technical cell).
However, on the same day, an unofficial note by the deputy secretary, DPAR (services-5) clarified that the matter was to be handled by the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department (FEE).
The post of director (technical cell) has to discharge several responsibilities, including that of the member secretary of the State Environmental Appraisal Committee (SEAC), Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority (KSCZMA) and the State Land Authority.
Prior to the appointment, the government had transferred R Gokul, an IFS officer, from the crucial position.
Sources said the appointment startled many in the establishment and raised several questions. The then-principal secretary flagged the sensitivity of the matter, especially its bearing on environment management, and raised the matter of the candidate's qualification and eligibility.
"The post also involves appraisal of proposals dealing with matters of strategic and national importance, including nuclear installations and ports and defence-related projects," the official had stated.
Concerns overruled
The audit report shows that the appointment was not only arbitrary but done in a hurry without following the due procedure. "No public notification (was) issued by the FEE Department calling for applications, and no documented selection process or selection committee minutes were found on record," it states.
Further, as per the Karnataka Government Secretariat Services (Recruitment) Rules, 2019, under which the recruitment was to be made, the prescribed method of recruitment had two options.
First, by deputation from a university established by law in India or a scientific institution of national importance. Second, by posting an officer of the level of additional/joint secretary to the government of Karnataka Administrative Service.
The audit report noted that Puttaswamy didn't meet either of these criteria. "Puttaswamy's parent institution, BMS College of Engineering, is a private autonomous college affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technical University and does not qualify as a university established by law or an Institution of National Importance (INI)," it said, noting that an INI refers to a status granted through an Act of Parliament and listed by the Union ministry of education. BMS was not one of them.
Moreover, Puttaswamy's research experience was limited to the college, "which fails to meet the stipulated criteria under the Rules". Further, there was a question about his education qualification. "No documentary evidence was found to confirm that Puttaswamy holds a first class degree in environmental engineering, as required," the audit report noted.
"Despite these concerns, the principal secretary proceeded with the appointment on the basis of telephonic instructions from the hon'ble chief minister (January 25, 2025) as communicated by the additional chief secretary, FEE. The formal appointment notification was issued on January 27, 2025. Ex-post facto approval was accorded by the hon'ble chief minister on February 13, 2025," it said.
The report concluded that the appointment did not follow the due process of selection. "...was made without verifying eligibility in terms of qualifications and institutional affiliation," it said.
Anjum Parvez, additional chief secretary, FEE, did not respond to calls and messages.
However, an official in the environment department said the appointment order was issued after ratification. "The DPAR is the nodal office for the appointment. Without written documentation, no steps have been taken in this case based on telephonic conversation. The onus is on the DPAR," the official noted.
Puttaswamy's resume, available on the website of the BMS College, states he has a bachelor degree in chemical engineering, MTech in industrial pollution control engineering and a PhD. He had won the environment award given by the FEE in 2017.