THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finally, the State Government has relieved V N Rajasekharan Pillai as executive vice-president of Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) from the post. The Government Order (GO) issued on November 21 by Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan said that Rajasekharan Pillai would be relieved on November 27 on the expiry of the one-month period he had been permitted to continue in the post after the expiry of his his tenure on October 27, 2014.
Express had carried several reports on the controversial decisions taken by Pillai in his capacity as executive vice-president of KSCSTE. It has also been reported about the alleged move on the part of Pillai to get extension for another term. But following reports of alleged irregularities in several decisions he had taken during his tenure and adverse remarks from the Finance Inspection Wing of the government the going became tough for him to seek another extension.
A writ petition had been filed before the High Court by a private party seeking directives against granting him another term and order a Vigilance probe against him. Chief Secretary Bharat Bhushan also had given a report criticising the inaction on the part of Rajasekharan Pillai, who was holding the charge of Chairman, Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA), in deputing the member-secretary for the EAC meeting despite specific request from the MoEF.
The report pointed out that the absence of the member-secretary in the meeting had been to the advantage of the DLF in getting environmental clearance for the construction of multi-storeyed residential apartment - DLF Riverside Housing Project, Chilavannoor at Vyttila in Kochi. Following this, the government had decided to relieve him from the post on the expiry of his tenure.