19
Oct
National Green Tribunal (NGT)
National Green Tribunal (NGT)
What is the National Green Tribunal?
- The National Green Tribunal, established in 2010, as per the National Green Tribunal Act is a specialised judicial body equipped with expertise solely for the purpose of adjudicating environmental cases in the country.
- Recognising that most environment cases involve multi-disciplinary issues which are better addressed in a specialised forum, the Tribunal was setup as per recommendations of the Supreme Court, Law Commission and India’s international law obligations to develop national laws on environment and implement them effectively.
- The Tribunal is tasked with providing effective and expeditious remedy in cases relating to environmental protection, conservation of forests and other natural resources and enforcement of any legal right relating to environment.
The Tribunal’s orders are binding and it has power to grant relief in the form of compensation and damages to affected persons.
What is the Tribunal’s composition?
- The Tribunal has a presence in five zones- North, Central, East, South and West. The Principal Bench is situated in the North Zone, headquartered in Delhi.
- The Central zone bench is situated in Bhopal, East zone in Kolkata, South zone in Chennai and West zone in Pune.
Objectives of National Green Tribunal (NGT)
Some of the major objectives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) are as follows:
- Effective and expeditious disposal of cases that are related to the protection and conservation of the environment, forests, and other natural resources.
- To give relief and compensations for any damages caused to persons and properties.
- To handle various environmental disputes that involve multi-disciplinary issues.
Structure of NGT
- The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for term of five years and are not eligible for reappointment.
- The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with Chief Justice of India (CJI).
- A Selection Committee shall be formed by central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
- There are to be least 10 and maximum 20 full time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.
Powers of NGT
- Over the past few years, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) developed as an important body for regulation of the environment and passing strict orders on issues related to pollution, deforestation, waste management, etc. Some of the major powers of the National Green Tribunal include:
- NGT provides a way for the evolution of environmental jurisprudence through the development of an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
- It helps in the reduction of the litigation burden on environmental matters in the higher courts.
- NGT provides a faster solution for various environment-related disputes that are less formal and less expensive.
- It curbs environment-damaging activities. NGT ensures the strict observation of the Environment Impact Assessment process.
- NGT provides reliefs and compensations for any damages caused to persons and properties.
The National Green Tribunal resolves various civil cases under the following seven laws that are related to the environment:
- Water Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1974
- Water Cess Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1977
- Forest Act (Conservation), 1980
- Air Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1981
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
- Biological Diversity Act, 2002
Frequently Asked Questions related to National Green Tribunal
Is National Green Tribunal a constitutional body?
National Green Tribunal is a statutory body established by a Government Notification using the powers of Section 3 of the NGT Act 2010. It has replaced National Environment Appellate Authority.
How many national green tribunal are there in India?
The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Bhopal are the other four.
What is difference between NGT and CPCB?
The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country.
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