Legal action soon to set state pollution board in order, says Karnataka minister

The government will soon take a decision on bringing order in the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre said.

Days after the feud between the chairman and the former in-charge member secretary came to the fore along with the allegations of a Rs 17 crore scam, the minister said an intervention has become a necessity to set right the statutory body.

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Khandre said a report on the recent developments in the KSPCB has been received from the Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department.

"I will discuss the situation with the chief minister before taking the next step. The KSPCB is an autonomous body. As a minister, I had avoided interfering in its daily affairs. However, persons in the top two positions are making personal allegations against each other and all this has come out in the media. This hurt the reputation of the KSPCB, requiring a legal intervention," he said.