Center removes JNU professor accused of sexual harassment from EPCA
The Center has removed a JNU professor, accused of sexual harassment, from the Supreme Court-empowered Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution. The Environment Ministry, in an order issued on July 4, announced the removal of Atul Kumar Johri, a professor at the School of Life Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Here's more.
Johri arrested in March for allegedly sexually harassing women students
Johri was arrested in March this year for allegedly sexually harassing several women students. The Delhi High Court had recently given JNU's internal complaints committee two more weeks to complete its investigation into the alleged misconduct of Johri. Students, professors, and women's rights organizations had demanded Johri's arrest, following allegations by some students of sexual harassment by him.
A professor of IIT-Delhi also removed, owing to lack-of-interest
Environment Ministry in its notification also said that it had removed another member, Professor Mukesh Khare of the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT-Delhi, from the EPCA. Sources in Ministry said they had reports that many of the members were also not attending the meetings of the panel regularly. Confirming removal of both members, a source said, "There is a lack of interest from them."
About EPCA members
Environment Ministry has also extended the tenure of the Authority up to October 3, 2018, after the expiry of its two-year term on July 4 this year. The EPCA is headed by Bhure Lal and includes Environmentalist and CSE Director General Sunita Narain as one of its members. EPCA is also mandated to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as per pollution levels.
