World-renowned climate expert accused of sexual harassment is sacked

A world renowned climate scientist has been sacked from his job as head of a top energy institute in India following allegations of sexual harassment. Rajendra Pachauri, who quit as head of the the U.N. climate panel in February when he was accused of stalking a 29-year-old researcher, was removed from his post as director-general of The Energy and Resources Institute. No reasons were given for his replacement but the council said the decision was taken keeping in view the interests of the private institute and its 1,200 employees working in different parts of the world. However, the 75-year-old was removed following angry protests in the wake of a Delhi court’s decision last week to allow him to return to work at the institute.

The interests of TERI and its talented staff are paramount

TERI statement

Pachauri resigned from his UN role after being accused of sending dozens of text messages and emails to an institute co-worker. No formal charges have been filed but he was banned by a court from entering the institute or contacting anyone there after being accused of “influencing witnesses” and hampering an investigation. But when the ban was lifted last week there was widespread outrage in India, where women face a stigma against discussing issues such as sexual harassment in the workplace. Pachauri had headed the think-tank for the past 34 years and chaired the UN climate panel — considered the world’s authority on climate science — since 2002, accepting the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on its behalf.

If this is the situation where not just national but global attention is so high, we can well imagine the plight facing millions of women in workplaces beyond the glare of media spotlight

Times of India comment

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