STAFF REPORT IBD: A cold war has been going on among government departments over the control of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) cell for the last four months.
The devolved Ministry of Environment became the National Designated Authority (NDA) of the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change after it established the cell and placed it under Enercon back in 2005.
The cell became the casualty of devolution and was attached with the Planning and Development Division. However, the Planning Division now refuses to let go of the cell or release funds to the CDM despite clear directions from the high-powered committee.
Minutes of the first meeting held in late October 2011 of the high-powered committee clearly state: “It is decided that the work relating to CDM should again vest with Enercon.” The documents also show that in January 2012, the Planning Division “approved the transfer of the project, CDM, along with allocation of Rs14.6 million to Ministry of Water and Power under directives of the high-powered committee.”
However, three days later in another letter, the division “withdrew the transfer of the CDM project until further notice.”
Because of such bureaucratic hurdles, the CDM staff, mostly young environment experts holding masters and M.Phil degrees, have gone without monthly salaries since October.