Little Information on National Green Tribunal

NGT(national green tribunal) is constituted under the National Green Tribunal Act,2010. In 1992, During the UN conference on Environment and Development, India promised the administrative and judicial remedies for the victims of the pollutants and other environmental problems. India was committed to bind on the polluter pay principle and principle of natural justice. thatswhy Govt of India constituted the NGT under the NGT act,2010. 

In the tribunal, there are not more than 10 members of judicial members and not more than 10 members of the expert members(but act also allows 20 members in each group)NGT is headed by a chairman, who is also a judicial member, shall be either retired Chief Justice of any high court or retired judge of supreme court. At present Justice swantatra kumar is heading the tribunal. Expert member shall be either serving or retired govt officials not having the lower rank than the additional secretary(in case of state govt, not lower rank than principal secretary). Expert Member shall have the minimum five years administrative experience in environmental matters or must have the doctorate in the environment related field.

Each bench hearing the environmental cases shall have atleast one expert member and atleast one judicial member. Each case shall be dealt within the period of 180 days. Appeal on the verdict of the NGT can be given to the Supreme Court within the period of 90 days after the verdict.

Acts that governing the NGT:-

1. Principle of Natural Justice
2. Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
3. The Forest Act, 1927.
4. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. 
5. Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. 
6. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 
7. Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (as amended in 1988) and other acts also.

In this way, NGT is working in most expeditious manner. NGT is well known for its integrity, honesty, commitment to the environmental conservation.

For example, In delhi, It banned the movement of the old diesel cars and banned registration of the vehicles having more than 2000cc. the same verdict is extended to the 6 cities of the kerala such as kinnaur, khozikhode, kochi, kollam, thirsur and tiruvanantapuram. this verdict was given after keeping in mind about adverse affects of pollutants from these vehicles.

Apart from this, NGT also finned the Pt.Ravi shankar’s art of living after causing ecological damage to floodplains of Yamuna while conducting the international event.