Following Anil Dave's death, Dr. Harsh Vardhan to be new Environment Minister

Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has been given the additional charge of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in addition to his existing portfolios.

The portfolio went vacant after Anil Madhav Dave, who was holding the charge of very important ministry, passed away this morning.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan holds the charge of the Ministry of Science and Technology (India) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Dave's last rites, who passed away earlier today following a cardiac arrest, will be performed in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.

Minister of State (MoS) (Home) Jitendra Singh told the media about the cause of his death and last rites ceremony.

"It was a cardiac arrest. He will be taken to Bhopal this evening. Thereafter, he will be taken to his ancestral place Indore where his last rites will be performed. Talks regarding the same are on with his family and his Madhya Pradesh members," Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah also condoled the minister's death.

A Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) member, Dave represented Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha since 2009.

-ANI