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Under the new guidelines by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), politicians will no longer be eligible for these critical positions.
A five-member committee established for this purpose has mandated a minimum of 20 years of experience in pollution control and environmental management as a qualifying criterion for the role.
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This move aims to enhance the technical expertise and independence of SPCB chairmen, empowering them to effectively address environmental challenges.
“We are drafting rules for the appointment of chairpersons of SPCBs. States must follow them. At present, state governments appoint anybody as chairperson. Now, we will tell them who should be appointed as chairperson, who should not be, and the entire process of how to do it through new guidelines,” one of the officials said.
The criteria will focus on substantial experience in pollution control, requiring at least 20 years in the environmental sector, the official added.
Certain bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold the position as an additional duty. These changes aim to strengthen SPCB administration and enhance policy enforcement. With an expert at the helm, SPCBs can expect more competent leadership and effective governance, the official added.
In the past, unqualified appointments of SPCB chairpersons in states like Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Rajasthan, Telangana, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Manipur led to terminations due to bureaucrats and politicians lacking the expertise needed to head a critical body like the SPCB.
For instance, in 2020, an activist alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government had bypassed two National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders by appointing IPS officer Rathore as the chairperson of the state’s pollution control board (UPPCB) in 2019. The activist claimed that Rathore did not meet the educational qualifications mandated by the NGT and that the state failed to establish rules for the appointment until January 2020, according to media reports.
More recently, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman Shanth Thimmaiah was removed from his position following charges of serious irregularities in contract awards, allegedly in violation of established rules.
He was also accused of favouring a plastic recycling company that had been shut down, according to a media report.
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The Water Act (1974) and the Air Act (1981), which are the two cornerstone legislations guiding the appointments of the SPCB personnel clearly emphasise the requirement for having chairpersons who have special knowledge or practical experience in matters relating to environmental protection.
SPCB chairman holds a range of responsibilities, including safeguarding the environment, advising the state government on air and water pollution matters, and assisting in establishing standards for air and water quality, as well as for the treatment of sewage and industrial effluents.
The role also involves monitoring compliance with environmental regulations across industries and other sectors, promoting research on environmental issues, and supporting public education and awareness initiatives, among other duties.
“A 5-member committee was set up, consisting of chief secretaries across the relevant ministries and fields. The committee has come up with the new set of guidelines, and they are going to notify them in a few days,” the officials informed.
Queries sent to the spokesperson and secretary of MoEFCC on Monday remained unanswered at press time.
Experts hold varying opinions on appointing politicians as chairpersons of SPCBs, arguing that not all political leaders are ineffective in these roles, with some achieving notable success.
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“We should avoid assuming that every politician appointed to this position is unsuitable,” C.K. Mishra, former secretary of the MoEFCC told Mint. “Whether the appointee is a bureaucrat or a politician, what matters is their fitness for the role. It would be wrong to attribute issues solely to political appointments.”
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