Dismissed by Previous Regime, Thannoo with 39 Years Experience Now Leads CWA

Shiam Thannoo has been appointed as the new head of the Central Water Authority (CWA) after being removed from his position at the Central Electricity Board (CEB) during the previous administration. His appointment has raised questions and expectations, especially given the current climate of controversy and the urgent need for reforms.

The Cabinet officially announced Thannoo’s new role as the Director General of the CWA.

With nearly 39 years of experience in public service, primarily at the CEB, he is now embarking on a new chapter in his career.

In a statement to Défi Quotidien, Thannoo expressed his honor at being chosen to lead the CWA. “Today was my first day.

My priority is to ensure a reliable water supply and to maintain the quality of work and materials used, especially the pipes,” he said.

He emphasized the need for a thorough review of the CWA’s internal procedures and organization, stressing the importance of shared accountability:

“Everyone at the CWA, from the smallest to the largest role, must be accountable.”

Thannoo, an engineer by training, has held various leadership positions at the CEB, including four years as secretary of the board and an equal period as director general.

He believes that his experience at the CEB will benefit his new role at the CWA.

His appointment comes after a controversial period in which he was sidelined. In 2024, he was removed from the CEB, a move he now describes as “political revenge.”

Although accusations were made against him at that time, he insists they were baseless:

“Charges were brought against me in a case that doesn’t hold water. If they were valid, the government would not have trusted me again,” he stated, claiming he was a victim of political retribution under the previous government.

After the general elections in 2014, Shiam Thannoo was demoted from his position as Director General of the Central Electricity Board (CEB) to Manager of the Non-Utility Generation department, resulting in a salary drop from Rs 185,000 to Rs 118,000.

Despite his protests, it wasn’t until December 2022 that his original salary was restored and then increased to Rs 205,000, only to be reduced again in January 2023.

He was also the subject of an internal investigation regarding the purchase of vehicles and the hiring of a public relations officer (PRO).

Without the chance to defend himself in writing, he was suspended in November 2016. After nearly seven years of proceedings, including three disciplinary committees, two of the five charges against him were upheld, leading to his dismissal in May 2024.

The hiring of the PRO and the salary increase without board approval were deemed serious offenses. In August 2024, the Employment Relations Tribunal concluded that the breach of trust justified his termination and rejected his request for reinstatement.

Shiam Thannoo’s situation is part of a larger context, as his wife, Minakshi Thannoo, has also faced controversial decisions.

In January 2015, she was fired from her role as director of the National Heritage Fund by the board, which claimed her appointment was politically motivated. Minakshi Thannoo legally challenged this interpretation.

Nearly a decade later, she was recently reinstated, about two months before her husband’s appointment to the CWA.

The CWA is currently facing significant challenges, including aging infrastructure, water loss in the network, and increasing demand for drinking water.

The new director has expressed his intention to overhaul some internal processes and strengthen the culture of accountability and performance within the organization.

While Shiam Thannoo’s appointment may be seen as a return of a former high-ranking official dismissed under controversial circumstances, it also comes at a critical time for the CWA, which needs to modernize its practices to meet rising public expectations.

Source: Defi Media