The appointment of the mayor fixed the PCB

M. of Kochi as a member of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB). Anilkumar’s appointment has put the agency in an awkward position as the civic body faces legal and punitive proceedings initiated by the board for violations of various environmental laws.

The seventeen-member board is the apex decision-making body and consists of members representing local bodies, government, industry, government companies or corporations, and the commercial, agricultural and fisheries sectors. Mr. Anilkumar was among the five members representing the local bodies nominated by the government after the local body elections held in December.

Other members include Kanathil Jamila, president of Kozhikode District Panchayat; M. Krishnadas, President of Guruvayur Municipality; BP Murali, president of Kilimanoor Block Panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram; And b. Shamsuddin, President of Padiyur-Kalyad Gram Panchayat in Kannur. On February 18, the Environment Department issued an order confirming the involvement of representatives of local bodies.

The board had asked the Kochi Corporation to pay ₹ 14.92 crore as environmental compensation in January for failure to comply with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016. The notice was given on the basis of an instruction by the Principal Bench of National Green. The tribunal (NGT) then pulled up the government and the board for failing to take strict action under the SWM Rules, 2016 against those responsible for unscientific dumping of waste at the corporation’s Brahmapuram yard. The civic body had received a stay from the Kerala High Court against the payment of slapped environmental compensation as per the ‘pollution-payment’ doctrine.

Even if the chairman of the board has the authority to unfairly compensate the local bodies for environmental compensation, the decisions will have to get the approval of the board. Former chairman Ajit Haridas resigned last February after board members unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against him. Mr. Haridas had invited the anger of the members after issuing a show cause notice to the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for giving environmental compensation of ₹ 14 crore for their failure to follow solid waste management rules.

Mr. Anilkumar has stated that he, as a board member, will play a positive role in ensuring the implementation of waste management regulations. “This will make me more responsible and strengthen the council’s ongoing efforts to ensure scientific waste management,” he said.