Centre rejigs Karnataka’s project appraisal bodies

BENGALURU: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has appointed new members to the State Level Impact Assessment Authority of Karnataka. Dr K S Sree Harsha has been appointed chairman of the authority, K N Shivalinge Gowda as member and the principal secretary to the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department as member-secretary.

The new appointees will have a three-year term. The authority will take decisions following recommendations of the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee. The Centre has issued a list of SEAC members appointed by the MoEF. While Venugopala V has been appointed as its chairman, the members are Dr Shekar H S, Dr J B Raj, Nanda Kishore, Dr S K Gali, Vyshak V Anand, Dinesh M C, Devegowda Raju, Sharanabasava Chandrashekar Pilli, J G Kaveriappa, Mahendra Kumar M C, B V Byra Reddy, Dr Sarvamanagala R Patil and B Ramasubba Reddy.  

The Special Director (Technical Cell) of the Forest, Ecology and Environment has been appointed member-secretary. To avoid conflict of interest, the chairman and member-secretary of the SEIAA and SEAC have to declare which consulting organisation they have been associated with.