Environment Ministry clears the ex-Chief Vigilance Officer

Coming to the aid of former Chief Vigilance Officer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Sanjiv Chaturvedi, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has given the whistleblower Indian Forest Service officer an “all clear” in respect of his vigilance clearance.

In its report, the MoEF noted: “As per the vigilance division of this Ministry, Sanjiv Chaturvedi is clear from the vigilance angle.’’

“With the clearance, the MoEF has finally called the bluff of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s communication issued late last month which said that there were certain complaints pending against Mr. Chaturvedi,’’ noted an official at AIIMS.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Secretary Lov Verma had noted that Mr. Chaturvedi’s “integrity was absolute and performance exemplary”.

“Now with the MoEF, which is Mr. Chaturvedi’s appointing authority/cadre controlling authority/repository of all his records/complaints, having written to the Union Health Ministry on the 28 of last month, it is clear that there is no complaint pending against the officer,’’ noted the official.

The MoEF has also sent the officer’s annual confidential report of the past five years which are “outstanding”.

“Also in August, 2013, the then AIIMS Deputy Director (Administration) R.S. Shukla had informed the Health Ministry that there is no complaint from any of the Institute employee pending against Mr. Chaturvedi. Thus, in view of the Ministry’s current stand, the action on Mr. Chaturvedi does not seem correct,’’ added the official.