<p>The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the state government to reconsider the guidelines for appointment of chairperson, member-secretary and members to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).</p>.<p>The court passed the order observing that the guidelines framed by the state government and subsequent modifications carried out during the pendency of the petitions are not in consonance with the Water Act, Air Act, Environmental Protection Act and also with the directions of the Supreme Court.</p>.<p>A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi, asked the state government not to make any appointments to the board till that time. The bench issued <span class="italic">rule nisi</span> after hearing extensively on two PILs filed by R Anjaneya Reddy and Krishnaiah P Sreenath, challenging the June 19, 2020, guidelines issued by the state government.</p>.<p>The bench said the KSPCB must consist of persons having good administrative capacity and also substantial technical knowledge in various fields, including air and water pollution, solid waste, biomedical waste and construction waste.</p>.<p>During the hearing on the PILs, the state government had submitted modified guidelines based on the suggestion by a two-member committee of Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Forest, Ecology and Environment.</p>.<p>The bench observed that the guidelines propose to reserve the post of member-secretary only to an IAS or IFS officer, while the enactments clearly mandate a postgraduate degree in science/ engineering/ technology besides administrative experience in the field of environment science. The bench also said the guidelines for the post of chairperson also not in conformity with the enactments.</p>
<p>The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the state government to reconsider the guidelines for appointment of chairperson, member-secretary and members to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).</p>.<p>The court passed the order observing that the guidelines framed by the state government and subsequent modifications carried out during the pendency of the petitions are not in consonance with the Water Act, Air Act, Environmental Protection Act and also with the directions of the Supreme Court.</p>.<p>A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi, asked the state government not to make any appointments to the board till that time. The bench issued <span class="italic">rule nisi</span> after hearing extensively on two PILs filed by R Anjaneya Reddy and Krishnaiah P Sreenath, challenging the June 19, 2020, guidelines issued by the state government.</p>.<p>The bench said the KSPCB must consist of persons having good administrative capacity and also substantial technical knowledge in various fields, including air and water pollution, solid waste, biomedical waste and construction waste.</p>.<p>During the hearing on the PILs, the state government had submitted modified guidelines based on the suggestion by a two-member committee of Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Forest, Ecology and Environment.</p>.<p>The bench observed that the guidelines propose to reserve the post of member-secretary only to an IAS or IFS officer, while the enactments clearly mandate a postgraduate degree in science/ engineering/ technology besides administrative experience in the field of environment science. The bench also said the guidelines for the post of chairperson also not in conformity with the enactments.</p>
