Adani Group advisor’s presence on Environment Ministry’s expert committee flags conflict of interest
Janardan Choudhary, an advisor to Adani Green Energy Limited, was also reportedly part of a meeting in October when a project by the company came up for evaluation https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/opposition-parties-slam-government-over-reported-appointment-of-adani-energy-advisor-on-environment-ministrys-committee/article67531668.ece Mr. Choudhary clarified to the Press Trust of India (PTI) that while he had attended the October 17 meeting, he had refrained from participating in the session focusing on AGEL’s Tarali project. The minutes of the meeting, perused by The Hindu, show that he participated in the meeting on October 17 “via video-conferencing” but was absent on October 18. The records, however, do not suggest that he recused himself from the meeting.
.. A senior official in the Ministry, familiar with the procedures around EAC proceedings, told The Hindu on condition of anonymity that having members affiliated to industry in the EAC committees was not out of the ordinary and an accepted practice. This was because their practical experience was “invaluable” in ascertaining the impact of projects. However, all members had to declare their affiliations and recuse themselves from matters that could conflict with their position. Such recusals were expected to be noted in the minutes of the meeting, and this has been an established practice in the past. “It was possibly an oversight but this would require an explanation,” the official noted.
Priyanka C of Shiv Sena said: “If an ethics committee can hold an elected member of parliament guilty for sharing email by calling it a national security and conflict of interest issue, how is a person working as an advisor to a private company, a company that has pending approvals in MoEFs EAC be allowed a seat on the EAC itself?