HC stays order removing KSPCB chairman

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The High Court of Karnataka has granted an interim stay on the corrigendum order of the State government issued on August 31 ending the tenure of Shanth A Thimmaiah as the Chairperson of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSBPC).

The stay will remain in force till the next date of hearing of a petition filed by Thimmaiah challenging the Government order. The High Court specified that the stay does not endorse the continuation of Thimmaiah.

Thimmaiah will continue as the Chairperson but will not undertake any policy measures, the Court said.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit also directed the petitioner and the State to file their written statements by the next date of hearing.

Thimmaiah was appointed chairman by an order dated November 15, 2021.

The Corrigendum order issued on August 31 states that his tenure ended on March 4, 2022 and the Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology was put in charge of the KSPCB till the appointment of a new chairperson.