[Environment] National Green Tribunal

Newspaper & a serious preparation goes hand in hand. Reading newspaper not only boost your current affairs but enlighten you with happenings around the world but also helps you to choose & realize topics which are of crucial nature.Topics which needs your attention & you must have in depth knowledge about which issues.

So I preassume, you all being serious UPSC aspirants are not taking risk of neglecting newspaper. If you are a voracious reader, you might be aware about pollution levels in Delhi has exceeded prescribed WHO limits.
The air quality monitoring data for Delhi provided by Central Pollution Control Board indicates that the levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) exceed the WHO guidelines by a “factor of 7 to 12”.
If you have followed this thread, you know the measures taken by NGT, some of them being-

• It banned all 10-year-old diesel vehicles from plying on Delhi roads.
• All entry points into the city must have units to check pollution levels.
• Strict orders against any illegal construction activity in and around Delhi.
• These are amongst few, but then do you know what actually NGT more precisely National Green Tribunal is?

NGT is a special tribunal to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental issues.

Aim: Effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Formed under National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 by Parliament of India under India’s constitutional provision of Article 21, which assures the citizens of India the right to a healthy environment.

1st chairman : Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta
Currently it is chaired by Justice Swatanter Kumar

Motive is to help judiciary in cases pertaining to enviornment.
The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavor for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.

NGT is present in New Delhi, Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai

Idea of court for environment came during Rio de Janeiro summit of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992
Australia & New Zeeland are the other countries with such system.

• Members : 10 expert members and 10 judicial members
• Chairman of the tribunal is required to be a serving or retired Chief Justice of a High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court of India.
• Members are chosen by panel headed by sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India.
• Expert members : serving or retired bureaucrats not below the rank of an Additional Secretary to the Government of India with minimum 5 years experience in field of environment.
• Judicial members: serving or retired judges of High Courts

Tribunal is competent to hear cases for several acts such as Forest (Conservation) Act, Biological Diversity Act, Environment (Protection) Act, Water & Air (Prevention & control of Pollution) Acts etc.

Notable judgement : Coal Blocks in Chhattisgarh Forests, Ban on decade old Diesel vehicles at Delhi NCR, suspends POSCO India’s Environmental Clearance etc.