Siddhesh Kadam, son of former state minister and Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, has been appointed as new chairman of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, an official statement said.
The Environment and Climate Change Department, which is headed by Eknath Shinde, said in the appointment order on Wednesday that Siddhesh Kadam would replace A L Jarhad. Incumbent chairman A L Jarhad was ousted as he was found to be absent from duty for a long time without any reason.
Jarhad was appointed to MPCB in September 2021.
Siddhesh’s brother Yogesh Kadam is MLA from Dapoli and belongs to the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The move to appoint Siddhesh to an administrative post is being seen as a political adjustment to pacify Ramdas.
The rules setting eligibility for the post mandate “twenty-five years of experience in respect of matters relating to environmental protection or in administering institutions dealing with matters relating to environmental protection in a senior managerial post”.
Siddesh told India Today that the government must have taken all conditions in view before nomination.
“The government sought documents from me before appointing me. I have provided them with all the documents. This appointment has been done following all rules and not in haste.” Kadam said adding he is a science graduate and has a masters’ degree but has worked on environmental issues in India as well as abroad.
Siddesh’s father, Ramdas Kadam, a veteran Shiv Sena leader and former environment minister, sided with Eknath Shinde when the latter rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in June 2022.
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