Siddhesh Kadam defends his appointment as Maharashtra Pollution Control Board chief

Siddesh Ramdas Kadam/ Facebook

The son of Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam and the head of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Siddhesh Kadam, defended his selection to the important position by claiming that careful consideration was required before making the decision.

Siddhesh underlined that the state government and the office of the Maharashtra chief minister must have carried out appropriate scrutiny before finalising his appointment in the face of criticism against his selection on social media from political workers, reported PTI.

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"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.

According to the report, in response to criticism of his nomination, Siddhesh emphasised his educational background by saying, "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."

A person appointed as the chairperson of the MPCB shall have substantial experience in environmental protection problems or institutions that deal with environmental protection, per the gazette notification of the Environment and Climate Change Department, the report in PTI stated.

The announcement also listed the educational requirements needed for the role, which include, among other things, a Master's degree in environmental science or a Bachelor's degree in environmental engineering.

According to the Environment and Climate Change Department headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Siddhesh was appointed after A L Jarhad was removed from his position as the former MPCB chairman for an extended length of time without providing a valid cause, the report added.

"Following the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Rule 3 of the Maharashtra Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules, 1983, the government has removed AL Jarhad from the post of chairman and appointed Siddhesh Ramdas Kadam as his successor. Kadam will serve as the chairman for the remainder of the term, ensuring continuity in the board's operations and fulfilling its mandate to prevent and control water pollution in the state," the notification read.

Senior Shiv Sena leader and former environment minister Ramdas Kadam backed Shinde in his uprising against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership, which led to the Maha Vikas Aghadi government's overthrow in June 2022.