MP pollution board chief in Lokayukta net hangs on to post

MP pollution board chief in Lokayukta net hangs on to post
YOGESH VAJPEYI

BHOPAL, FEB 26: It has been four days since V K Jain, chairperson of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), was arrested by the state Lokayukta. Yet, the eco-friendly MP government can't seem to get itself to take action against Jain, accused of aiding the cause of polluting industries. Jain is still sitting occupying his post.

Sources in the Lokayukta alleged that documents in their possession revealed that Jain had given no-objection certificates to several polluting industries, including distilleries, in violation of norms. He has allegedly been found to own palatial houses in Bhopal and Indore, two apartments in Mumbai and properties in Jabalpur and other places.

State officials realise that delay in taking action against Jain could adversely affect Digvijay Singh's carefully cultivated green image. ``I don't know what the government will do since we haven't received any report from the Lokayukta,'' says Satyananda Mishra, Principal Secretary (Housing and Environment).

Sources say Jain got the plum post after his retirement from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in 1997 with the help of his political connections. Jain's tenure ended after three years but he got re-appointed.

Jain was unavailable for comment. His family members maintain that he is innocent and will emerge unscathed after six months. And that he won't quit the board's chairpersonship.

While the case registered against Jain relates to amassing wealth ``disproportionate to his know sources of income'', sources in the Lokayukta alleged that the documents seized had shown that Jain was close to the owners of a controversial distillery firm which has been accused of polluting the Betwa river.

Jain is one of the seniormost state officials to be arrested while in office. He is also one official against whom the state Lokayukta has received the maximum number of complaints, said Lokayukta Justice Faizanuddin.

``Jain was in league with multinational companies,'' alleges Abdul Jabbar, convenor of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan. ``Jain had certified that Union Carbide had left no toxic material at its plant site in Bhopal. But an expert team from Greenpeace International later found huge quantities of toxic substances at the site,'' he said.

Simultaneous raids have also been conducted at the residences of another pollution control board member, G. D. Agarwal, and board advisor P C Garg.

Agarwal was an executive engineer in the PHE department when Jain was Engineer-in-Chief. Jain got Agarwal nominated as a member after he became chairperson. Later, P C Garg was inducted as the board's advisor. The post hasn't been sanctioned till date, yet Garg continued to enjoy all attendant perks and privileges.