Two ex-IAS officers appointed as NGT expert members

CHENNAI: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of two retired senior IAS officers of Tamil Nadu cadre, Girija Vaidyanathan and K Satyagopal, to the post of Expert Member of the National Green Tribunal for a period of four years.

Girija Vaidyanathan belongs to the 1981 batch of the IAS. She retired from service as Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. She holds a postgraduate degree in physics and played a key role in the formulation of rules for the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. K Satyagopal belongs to the 1987 batch and served as Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration. Known as a tough taskmaster in bureaucratic circles, he played a pivotal role in shaping the State’s disaster response following cyclone Gaja. 

Satyagopal told Express, “He has always fought for environmental rights and I am looking forward to serving as an expert member in NGT. The Cabinet has approved the appointment and a formal communication is awaited from the ministry.”