You are fired

NGT fires state pollution control board chairpersons in 10 states for being under-qualified

Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the termination of heads of 10 state pollution control boards (SPCBS), saying they are not qualified for the post. The order comes as a follow-up to an NGT judgement in August 2016, which expressed concerns over the ad-hoc appointment of chairpersons and member secretaries of SPCBS. The bench had then specified the required qualifications and experi- ence of the authorities and asked states to frame rules of appointment within three months and appoint "only duly qualified persons, with fixed tenure". Having failed to act, NGT has hauled up Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Rajasthan, Telangana, Haryana, Maharashtra and Manipur. Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have been spared as they are in the process of framing rules.