Days after the controversial exit of Jayanthi Natarajan, Union Minister Veerappa Moily, who assumed the additional charge of the environment portfolio, on Tuesday said no files will be kept pending in the Ministry.
His comments came amid reports that Ms. Natarajan had to exit from the Ministry because of complaints from the industry that she was holding up environmental clearances to big ticket projects, but she has denied it.
Mr. Moily, however, said that the “image” of the green regulator would never be compromised in the process of project clearances.
“I am the one who is accustomed to dispose of the files by the evening. Not even a single file will be taken home and not even a single file will be pending unless it requires yet another (look),” said Mr. Moily, who met Ms. Natarajan at her residence here just before assuming the charge.
The senior Cabinet Minister also dismissed suggestions that there will be conflict of interest as he handles the portfolio of Petroleum, which needed lot of green clearances from the Environment Ministry.
“Everything has its space. Petroleum has its space... every ministry has a space....Ultimately, we have to go by the rules of the game which have been laid out by any ministry. We should not cross it. There should not be any fear or favour while discharging the duties,” he said.
On the issue of conflict of interest, Mr. Moily narrated his experience as Minister for Law, Corporate Affairs and Petroleum when he effectively dealt with such issues.
