Important post for subject Environmental Science

[Moharana Choudhury]

#Important #Post:

#Points to be #discussed and #highlighted #NGT Judgement for#EnvironmentalScience Subject.
Please kindly share your valuable comments on this issue we will add your suggestions and comments further for subject.Hope you all will take part for this issue.
Thanks and Regards

Dear All,

We are sharing you some of the points and highlights of judgment by the Honorable National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench New Delhi on application 318 of 2013 regarding the eligibility/ qualification of chairman & member secretary of state pollution control boards has thrown some light on the significance of environmental science subject.
It would be a nice move if you can circulate these points to the group members who can make some catchy comments on these points.

Even if a Member Secretary (of #State Pollution Control Board) is from Indian Forest Service, he does not fulfill the eligibility criteria for the purpose of environmental protection because under Forest Services only a part of relevant law such as forest, wildlife, etc. have been studied by them, whereas environment protection includes many other discipline/subjects”.

Comparison of the studies which are taught during the training of India Forest Service Officers at IGNFA & Graduate/Post Graduate in environmental streams would go to show that there is a vast difference, particularly in respect of subject of environment protection, its control and management”.

“Hence merely being a Member of Indian Forest Service or has retired from the said service is not the requisite qualification. If he is not a graduate or post graduate with Environment Studies and its protection as specialized subject, he is not eligible for the said post”.

“The first criteria of “Special Knowledge” for appointment of Chairman (of State Pollution Control Board), as prescribed under Section 4 (2) (a) of the Water Act and Section 5(2) of the Air Act unambiguously means knowledge acquired through a well-designed special programme/course based on topics pertaining to environment and its protection”.

“The courses that would qualify to be imparting special knowledge in respect of environment, its degradation/pollution and environmental protection are available in the form of Master of Science in Environmental Science/Environmental Management and Master of Engineering/Master of Technology, in Environmental Engineering or an equivalent degree”.

“So a person can be regarded to have special knowledge in environment and its protection only if he has to his credit either M. Sc. in Environmental Science/Environmental Management or M.E./ M. Tech in Environmental Engineering or an equivalent degree. Special knowledge as explained above has to be accompanied with adequate experience in the field”.

“Despite of clear provisions of law; judgment passed by the Honorable Supreme Court; guidelines by the Monitory Committee constituted by the Supreme Court; directions from time to time, issued by the Central Government and perusal of the record reveals that in respect of the qualifications of the persons, barring a few exceptions, who were being appointed by the State Governments did not show much improvement. By and large situation remained the same which substantially affects the working of the State Pollution Control Boards and is resulting in degradation of environment protection and scanty control over pollution. Hence, the present issue was taken up by the Tribunal and all the persons concerned including Union of India, through #MoEF, Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Board of all the States of the country, Union Territories were called upon and they heard at length”.

“Therefore, any person with knowledge which is ordinary or casual in respect of environmental matters will not qualify or become eligible in respect of appointment under consideration. Knowledge, qualified with the word special, has to be acquired through accepted and established norms of education i.e. an academic qualification in the field of environmental protection as recognized by university established by law”.

“In our country, to name a few, such specialized courses are:
(a) Criteria in civil/chemical with specialization in environmental engineering.

(b) Post-graduate in environmental engineering/environmental management
(c) 4 years graduate in environmental engineering 
(d) 2 years MSc in environment science/environmental management.

“Though it has not been specifically mentioned in the aforesaid provisions that basic academic qualification in environmental protection is required, the words special knowledge taken within its ambit such requirement as the legislature cannot be presumed to be oblivious of existence of such basic qualifications”.

Please kindly give your valuable comments and views on this issue, you can directly respond here in this post/ page.

Thanks All.

[MOHAMMED A]

I strongly recommend people with degree in environmental science/engineering/management should be preferred for these posts. without understanding basic process and mechanism, environmnetal conservation and sustainability will be an unachievable target. Even post graduate in evironmental engineering, a person cannot enter pollution control board as he/she dont have civil degree.