The suspension of a senior IAS officer serving as Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has ignited a political flashpoint within Maharashtra’s ruling alliance, exposing tensions between key power centres in the government.
The controversy unfolded after two senior MPCB officials were suspended following their alleged absence from a ministerial briefing on pollution in Chandrapur district. The action has since snowballed into a larger debate on administrative accountability and political authority.
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POWER PLAY WITHIN THE ALLIANCE
The MPCB is headed by Siddhesh Kadam of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, while it functions under the Environment Department led by BJP leader Pankaja Munde. The overlapping lines of authority came into sharp focus on Thursday evening when protem Speaker Dilip Lande ordered the suspension of Member Secretary M. Devendra Singh, an IAS officer, and Joint Director Satish Padval.
The decision followed Munde’s statement in the Legislative Assembly during a half-hour discussion on pollution in Chandrapur. She informed the House that the officers had failed to attend briefings convened by her on the issue. Calling the absence “gross negligence” and “disrespect towards the people of Maharashtra,” Lande directed immediate suspension.
Defending his action, Lande asserted that the authority of the Chair remained intact regardless of his protem status. “It does not matter whether I was merely a protem Speaker. I was on the Chair and action was taken for not respecting the orders of the Minister and not performing his duty,” he said.
Within less than a day, the file recommending suspension was reportedly placed before Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for approval.
Adding to the political heat, BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar moved a breach of privilege motion against the MPCB, alleging non-compliance with ministerial directions.
The episode has intensified scrutiny of coordination — and friction — within Maharashtra’s ruling coalition.
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