PHE delays transfer of administrative control
SHILLONG: The inability of the Public Health Engineering department to absorb two officers who are currently on deputation with the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board is preventing the Forest and Environment department from assuming administrative control on the Board.
The Cabinet on May 2 last had approved the transfer of the administrative control of the MPSCB from the PHE to the Forest and Environment department.
Four months have passed since, but the formal handing over of the administrative control of the Board to the Forest and Environment department is yet to take place due to the inability of the PHE department to absorb its own officers.
Presently, the post of Chairman of the Board is being headed by an officer in the rank of Additional Chief Engineer from the PHE department while another officer in the rank of Executive Engineer is the Member Secretary.
When contacted, Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday said that they were trying to clear the hurdles so that the process of taking over of the administrative control of the Board can materialize at the earliest.
“We will soon appoint a new Chairman to head the Board,” he said.
Earlier, official sources had informed that the Government was working on modalities to appoint a new Chairman of the Board who will be an officer not below the rank of Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF).