Adani Green Energy Advisor’s Appointment to Panel Sparks Political Uproar
The recent appointment of a key advisor from Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) to an environment ministry panel has caused a political outcry, with opposition parties criticizing the government for a perceived conflict of interest.
Janardan Choudhary, an advisor to AGEL, was named as one of the seven non-institutional members by the Union Environment Ministry during the reconstitution of the Expert Appraisal Committee for hydroelectricity and river valley projects in September.
During the reconstituted EAC’s first meeting on October 17-18, AGEL’s 1,500 megawatt Tarali pumping storage project in Maharashtra’s Satara was considered, according to the minutes of the meeting available on the Environment Ministry’s PARIVESH portal.
Choudhary clarified that while he attended the meeting, he refrained from participating in the session focusing on the AGEL Tarali project. He stated that he serves as an advisor to AGEL and is not on the company’s payroll.
With a 36-year tenure with NHPC and retiring as director (technical) in March 2020, Choudhary assumed the role of advisor to AGEL in April 2022. He disclosed his affiliation with the company to the ministry before his appointment to the EAC.
The EACs’ primary function is to offer recommendations to the environment ministry regarding project proposals after evaluating their potential impacts. The ministry then decides whether to reject the proposal or grant clearance with specific conditions to mitigate or compensate for the impacts.
The appointment prompted criticism from political parties, with some questioning the selection process and raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. The issue sparked a heated debate, with members of different political parties expressing their disapproval of the appointment.
The controversy surrounding the appointment of Choudhary to the EAC has raised questions about the potential conflict of interest and the transparency of the selection process. The government is facing pressure to address these concerns and ensure that such appointments are made with the highest ethical standards in mind.
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