Bangalore :The state government which had been deliberately dithering on appointments to various government boards and corporations, last week silently reconstituted the state wildlife Board by appointing new members.
 
Siddaramaiah appointed Home Minister K J George’s son Rana George as member of the Wildlife Board, while former Indian cricket team captain Anil Kumble, who was vice president of the board, has been axed. Besides, the CM has also cleared appointments of other members to the board, drawn from various professional backgrounds.
 
Even as tongues wagged about the appointment in political circles, the State government on Tuesday defended the appointment of Rana George to the State Wildlife Board on the grounds that it is an ‘apolitical body’ and there is no need for making the reconstitution and the appointment a political issue.

Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the regional consultation meeting on polio eradication in Bangalore, Siddaramaiah said, “There is nothing political in appointing Rana George to the Wildlife Board. In fact, Rana has been an environment lover for several years. He has been an environmentalist and has contributed immensely to the field in the last three years.”

The Wildlife Board, which functions under the state Forest Department, is responsible for clearing various forest-related projects, including those proposed by the Infrastructure, Tourism, and Energy Departments.

Sources say that Rana George had been trying for a position in the State Wildlife Board and had personally moved the Chief Minister previously. He was, however, appointed as honorary Wildlife Warden of Mysore District.