Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Environment Officials Clash Over Permissions and Staff Changes
Two senior environment officials in Madhya Pradesh are having a disagreement.
SEIAA chairman SN Singh Chouhan opposes granting 237 deemed permissions.
Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee has also made changes to staff working with the chairman.
Five contractual workers received notices saying their services may be ended.
They have worked in the department for 10 to 20 years.
The workers asked EPCO’s director general not to end their jobs.
Chouhan told the chief secretary that the additional chief secretary was making it harder for him to do his work.
Chouhan said following the rules should come first.
SEIAA chairman SN Singh Chouhan and Environment Department Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee are in a dispute.
Chouhan opposes granting 237 deemed permissions, and the disagreement has widened into a rift with department officials.
Mukherjee changed Chouhan’s office staff three times in a month and issued termination notices to five contractual workers.
The workers named in the notices are Ajit Sharma, Chandrika Singh, Sudha Singh, Rakesh Bharti and stenographer Poonam Jha; they have worked in the department for 10 to 20 years.
SEIAA peons were transferred to EPCO, while Chouhan wrote to the chief secretary that Mukherjee was obstructing his work.
- Who
- SEIAA chairman SN Singh Chouhan, Environment Department Additional Chief Secretary Aniruddha Mukherjee, and five contractual workers.
- What
- A dispute over deemed permissions has coincided with office staff changes, transfers and termination notices.
- When
- The article reports staff changes three times in a month and one month’s notice to the workers; no date is specified.
- Where
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
- Why
- Chouhan opposes granting 237 deemed permissions and says he must be able to work according to rules; the article reports the dispute has affected department staffing.
Chouhan’s position
Mukherjee’s actions as reported
Permissions and work
Chouhan’s position
Chouhan opposes granting 237 deemed permissions and says working according to rules is the priority.
Mukherjee’s actions as reported
The article reports Mukherjee’s actions amid the dispute, but does not state his position on the permissions.
Staffing
Chouhan’s position
Chouhan told the chief secretary that Mukherjee was coming in the way of his functioning; affected workers asked EPCO’s director general not to terminate their services.
Mukherjee’s actions as reported
Mukherjee changed Chouhan’s office staff and issued one-month termination notices to five contractual workers; the article does not provide his explanation.
- Permissions at issue
- 237 deemed permissions
- Officials in dispute
- SN Singh Chouhan and Aniruddha Mukherjee
- Workers given termination notices
- Ajit Sharma, Chandrika Singh, Sudha Singh, Rakesh Bharti and Poonam Jha
- Notice period
- One month
- Reported service length
- The workers have been employed in the environment department for 10 to 20 years
- Staff changes
- Chouhan’s office staff were changed three times in a month
- Peons’ transfer
- SEIAA peons were transferred to EPCO