Sikkim Government Notifies Composition of State Pollution Control Board

The Government of Sikkim, through Notification No. 67/Home/2008, issued by the Home Department on July 11, 2008, formally established the composition of the State Pollution Control Board, Sikkim. This notification, subsequently published in the Sikkim Government Gazette (Extraordinary) on Monday, July 28, 2008, operationalized the Board which had been previously constituted by Notification No. 30/Home/2008 dated March 19, 2008. The measure specified the individuals and official positions that would comprise the Board, thereby enabling its full functioning.

The newly constituted Board was designated to include fifteen members, drawing expertise from various governmental departments, local administration, academia, and legal fields. Shri T.R. Poudyal, IFS (Rtd.), former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest cum Secretary, was appointed as the Chairman. Other members included the PCCF cum Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department; the Secretary-in-Charge of the Transport Department; the Secretary-in-Charge of the Urban Development and Housing Department; and the PCE cum Secretary of the Water Security Public Health and Engineering Department. Representation from local governance was ensured with the inclusion of the Zilla Upadakshya from each of the East, North, South, and West Districts. Academic and professional expertise was brought in through Dr. M.P. Thapa, Principal of Namchi Government College; a Legal Counsel from the Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department; the Principal Director of the Health Care Human Service and Family Welfare Department; and the Head of the Department, Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Majitar, East Sikkim. Additionally, Shri J.B. Rai, IFS (Rtd.), and Shri T.D. Rai, SFS, Director of Forests (Wildlife Eco. Tourism), were named as a member and the Member Secretary, respectively. The legislation provided: “NOW THEREFORE, the State Government notifies that the Board shall consist of the following members, namely:” The term of office for all members of the Board was set for a period of three years, commencing from the date of issuance of this notification.

The primary objective behind this notification was to fully establish and make functional the State Pollution Control Board, Sikkim. While the Board's constitution had been announced earlier, the absence of specified members meant it could not effectively discharge its duties. This notification addressed that statutory gap by formally appointing the necessary personnel, thereby providing the administrative framework required for the Board to commence its work. The policy rationale was to ensure that a dedicated body, equipped with diverse expertise, was in place to oversee and manage pollution control efforts within the state. By bringing together officials from environmental, urban development, transport, public health, and legal sectors, alongside academic and local government representatives, the government aimed to foster a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to environmental protection. The appointment of members with a fixed three-year term provided clarity on their tenure and responsibilities, facilitating the Board's long-term planning and enforcement capabilities in environmental governance.

Keywords: Sikkim, State Pollution Control Board, Notification, Environmental Governance, Board Members, Pollution Control Geo Tags: India, Sikkim District: Not Applicable