MPCB staffers in dilemma as tussle for top post continues
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 18 2022:
Employees of Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) are in dilemma owing to claim and counter- claim over the post of chairman by two individuals, which in turn, is hindering all pollution control related activities of the Board.
As per a report, former MLA L Radhakishore had been appointed as the chairman of MPCB.
However, before the expiry of his term, Wabagai AC MLA Usham Deben was named for the same post.
After the former filed a petition in the High Court of Manipur, Justice MV Muralidharan stayed the order of the government issued on September 20 that appointed Usham Deben as Board chairman and further directed the respondent to submit a counter affidavit by November 16 .
Amid such a state of confusion, both L Radhakishore and Usham Deben have been attending the MPCB office at Lamphelpat, claiming to be the chairman.
On Monday, both L Radhakishore and Usham Deben came to Board office, leaving the staff in a state of dilemma.
The two, however, sat in different rooms of the office.
In view of the prevailing situation, a Board staff said that as both claim to be the chairman, the staffers are unable to decide which chairman to report to.
In addition, this is also hindering all official work of the work, including processing of documents which require the signature of the chairman.
The Board is also unable to effectively implement the ban on single use plastic, which was effected across the country, and in the state under the Manipur Plastic Policy 2020 on July 1, due to this internal tussle, The banned plastics such as plastic bottles, plastic bags under 75 micron and disposal glasses have now began to be sold in the market over the past few days, not to mention the Board halting its regular visits to hospitals.
Furthermore, all monitoring activities with regard to noise, air and water pollutions in view of the upcoming Di-wali Festival are at a standstill as well, the staff conveyed.