"Maharashtra forest department cadre has been very badly managed over the last 15 to 20 years," Ramesh said, addressing a state level meet on climate change.

Kadam, who along with Rural Development minister Jayant Patil was present, was seen squirming as the minister made those remarks. Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule organised the programme.

The finance commission has given Rs 5,000 crore grant for forestry work to states and Maharashtra's share is Rs 350 crore, the minister said. "This is a lot of money for a department that starts at 11 am and ends at 11.30 am," Ramesh said.

"The forest department should have an independent opinion. They can't be told," he said, adding "what it (forest department) has been starved of is real leadership."

Funds allocated for pollution control work in Sangli district, from where Kadam and Patil hail, have not yielded result, he said.

"Rs 900 crore have been spent on Ganga over last 20 years. But the river is as polluted today as it was then," the minister said.