New Delhi: Scientists, senior environmental and policy experts, and other stakeholders from across India have written to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), raising questions over the composition of the Supreme Court-appointed high-powered expert committee tasked with reviewing the Centre’s report on the definition and delineation of the Aravalli hill range.
The letters, written Thursday and Friday, seek changes to the committee’s composition, citing concerns about its independence.
The committee, constituted under the Supreme Court’s May 25 order, is headed by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, and has been directed to submit its report by August 31.
Its other members of the panel are Dr Subhash Ashutosh, former director general of the Forest Survey of India; Dr Rajendra Kumar Sharma, former director of the Geological Survey of India; Brij Mohan Singh Rathore, former joint secretary in the Environment Ministry; and Professor Ashok K Bhatnagar, former head of the Department of Botany at Delhi University.
The court also appointed Professor Jagdish Krishnaswamy of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bengaluru, and Professor Laxmikant Sharma of the Central University of Haryana as special invitees whom the chairperson may associate with the committee’s work, if required.
The Environment Ministry was directed to nominate an officer of the rank of director to serve as the panel’s member secretary.
In one of the letters, environmentalist and social scientist Dr Ravi Chopra expressed doubts about the panel’s ability to provide independent written opinions on the disputed issues, noting that almost all its members are serving or retired government officials.
Referring to his experience as chair of two Supreme Court-appointed committees, Chopra wrote that serving and retired government officials and scientists from government-funded institutions had in his experience, “never voted against the views of the government in power”, despite expressing contrary opinions during discussions.
In a separate letter, environment and policy expert Sagar Dhara cited examples of previous Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committees (HPC), which were headed by eminent scientists and independent domain experts.
“Eminent physicist Professor MGK Menon was appointed in 1997 as head of the HPC constituted to formulate a comprehensive regulatory framework regarding hazardous waste management. The matter concerning the preservation and conservation of the Aravallis requires a similar approach where the choice of members, including the Chairperson, should not be confined to only serving or retired government officers,” he added.
Meanwhile, Samita Kaur, an environmentalist from Punjab, called for the appointment of those members in the committee who have expertise on health issues, occupational issues including traditional livelihoods, ecology, wildlife, hydrology, etc.