Page 2 - National Green Tribunal

Deal with RTI applications as per prescribed timelines: Delhi HC to NGT

The Delhi High Court has asked the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to deal with RTI applications strictly in accordance with the timelines prescribed under the law. Justice Prathiba M Singh, while dealing with a matter related to NGT's failure to respond to an RTI plea, said being a national tribunal, its RTI cell ought to function properly. In view of the fact that the NGT is a national tribunal, the RTI cell of the NGT ought to function properly. Needless to add, the RTI applications received by the NGT in future shall be dealt with strictly in accordance with the timelines and rules prescribed under the RTI Act and RTI Rules, said the court in a recent order. The counsel for the NGT told the court that now the tribunal has created a proper RTI Cell and the First Appellate Authority. The NGT counsel said the tribunal did not have full time staff in 2013. The RTI applicant had filed an application in March 2014 and sought disclosure of certain information on appointment to a certai

NGT forms panel on land subsidence in Jammu and Kasmir's Doda district

The National Green Tribunal has formed a panel to conduct a study and suggest remedial measures for preventing environmental damage in light of the incident of land subsidence in Doda District of Jammu and Kashmir. The tribunal was hearing a matter where it had taken cognisance of a media report on its own about the damage and displacement caused by slipping of the earth. According to the report, most houses in the area were damaged resulting in displacement of the inhabitants. A bench of Chairperson Justice A K Goel noted that a geological survey of the area was being conducted to ascertain the reasons for the incident. It said the issue was a matter of concern requiring stringent preventive and remedial measures". The bench, also comprising Expert Members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad noted the tribunal had earlier passed an order regarding the fragile areas in the Himalayan region and places including Shimla, Kasauli, Manali, McLeod Ganj in Himachal Pradesh and Aravali hills in

NGT directs authorities to demolish hotel constructed in Sundarbans

The National Green Tribunal has directed authorities in West Bengal to demolish a hotel constructed in Sundarbans in violation of environmental norms. The tribunal was hearing a matter pertaining to the permissibility of a hotel construction in Sundarbans, for which the West Bengal State Coastal Zone Management Authority (WBCZMA) had raised objections. A bench of Chairperson Justice A K Goel said Sundarbans was a critically vulnerable coastal area (CVCA) under the coastal regulation zone notifications and no construction was permissible in a CVCA. We uphold the stand of WBCZMA and declare the constructions made by the project proponent to be illegal. A joint committee of WBSCZMA, district magistrate and senior superintendent of police (SSP) may ensure the demolition of illegal constructions and restoration of the area within three months from today, the bench also comprising Justices Sudhir Agarwal and B Amit Sthalekar along with expert member A Senthil Vel said. The bench noted th

NGT asks Delhi govt to pay Rs 2,232 cr fine for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi government to pay Rs 2,232 crore as environmental compensation for improper management of solid and liquid waste. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said there were gaps in the management of solid and liquid waste in the national capital. "On the pattern of compensation awarded in respect of other states (at the rate of Rs 2 crore per million litres per day (MLD) of untreated sewage and Rs 300 per tonne of untreated legacy waste), compensation of Rs 3,132 crore is liable to be levied on the Delhi government -- Rs 990 crore for solid waste and Rs 2,142 crore for solid waste," the bench, also comprising judicial members Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi along with expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, said. Deducting the compensation for solid waste already levied (Rs 900 crore), the remaining amount of Rs 2,232 crore has to be paid by the city government on the "polluter pays" principl

Gap in sewage generation, treatment to be remedied urgently: NGT on Yamuna

The National Green Tribunal has said the "huge gap" in the generation and treatment of sewage in the Yamuna catchment area in Haryana needed to be remedied on a war footing. It also noted that the water quality of the Yamuna river deteriorated after it entered the national capital and that the existing gaps in sewage management here needed to be "duly considered and addressed". Noting that the state of Uttar Pradesh did not submit a report regarding the Yamuna pollution, the tribunal said it was a matter of "serious regret". The tribunal was hearing matters pertaining to remedial action against "unabated pollution" of the Yamuna and the authorities' alleged failure to tackle the same to the detriment of the rule of law, environment and public health in spite of specific orders on the subject passed by the Supreme Court and the tribunal. A bench led by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel noted the report submitted by the state of Haryana stated that there was a gap of 240 million litre

Delhi govt submits report to NGT, says solid waste consistently increasing

The Delhi government has filed a status report before the National Green Tribunal, saying the quantity of municipal solid waste was "consistently increasing" because of various factors, including a rapid population growth and mass migration. In October last year, the NGT had directed the Delhi government to pay Rs 900 crore environmental compensation for improper management of solid municipal waste, saying citizens cannot be faced with an emergency situation due to lack of governance. It had also formed a committee to find the factual situation and determine the future course of action, including suggestions for disaster management plans, regarding the incidents of fire at the Bhalswa dump yard and Ghazipur landfill. On Thursday, the tribunal heard the matters related to the management of solid and liquid waste along with the fire incidents at the dumpsites. The Delhi Chief Secretary appeared before the tribunal through video conferencing. An order from the tribunal is ...

NGT orders Rajasthan to ascertain if Sambhar Festival harms migratory birds

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday directed the authorities in Rajasthan to address the grievance regarding the proposed three-day Sambhar festival adversely impacting migratory birds and their natural habitat. The tribunal also directed the authorities, including the Rajasthan chief secretary, to shift the festival's location if such a detrimental effect is found. The green panel was hearing a petition that alleged that the festival's activities, including kite flying, paragliding and motorcycle expedition, would "adversely affect migratory birds and natural habitat of the lake which is a Ramsar site, particularly on account of the use of loudspeakers". The festival is scheduled to take place at Sambhar Lake near Jaipur from February 17 to 19. "We find it necessary to direct the chief secretary, Rajasthan, to address the grievance in coordination with State Wetland Authority, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), district magistrate, Jaipur, and integrated region

Rainwater harvesting systems contamination: NGT asks report from chief secy

The NGT has directed Delhi chief secretary to file an action taken report regarding the execution of its earlier order pertaining to remediation measures for water contamination in rainwater harvesting systems of housing societies in Dwarka here. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was hearing an application seeking the execution of the tribunal's order of December 2021. The tribunal had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to coordinate with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and take remedial action, including verification of facts, creating awareness and preventing extraction of groundwater. It had also formed a joint committee comprising the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and Ministry of Urban Development to consider the situation on the same pattern throughout the country. A bench comprising Chairperson Justice A K Goel noted that according to the execution petition, out of a total of 400 societies in Dwarka, the inspection was ...

Deaths caused due to pollution should be matter of concern: NGT Chairperson

National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that apart from the lives lost due to road accidents, deaths caused on account of pollution should be a matter of concern

NGT passes orders on slew of environmental issues, penalises states in 2022

The National Green Tribunal dealt with a range of environmental issues in 2022 and passed several directions, including imposing hefty penalties on multiple states for causing damage to the environment and seeking restitution. The green tribunal cracked down on several states and union territories for non-compliance with Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSW) Rules, 2016 and other environmental issues. For lack of proper management of solid and liquid waste, the tribunal ordered the Maharashtra government to pay an environmental compensation of a staggering Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 3,800 crore on the Telangana government. Also at the receiving end of its stiff penalties to tackle environmental damage were West Bengal, which was asked to cough up Rs 3,500 crore, Rajasthan Rs 3,000 crore, Karnataka Rs 2,900 crore, Punjab Rs 2,180 crore and Uttar Pradesh Rs 100 crore. It also slapped fines of Rs 200 crore on the Nagaland government, Rs 50 crore on the Mizoram government and Rs 32 crore

SC stays NGT order directing Rajasthan to pay environmental compensation

In a major relief to the Rajasthan government, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed the National Green Tribunal's order directing it to pay Rs 3,000 crore as environmental compensation for alleged improper management of solid and liquid waste in the state. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of senior advocate Manish Singhvi, appearing for the Rajasthan government, and stayed the operation of the tribunal's September 15 order. "The order shall not be construed as obviating the duty of the state to comply with all other directions and to report compliance to the tribunal," it said. Singhvi, during the brief hearing, said Rajasthan has taken steps in this regard. "That the present statutory civil appeal is being filed... against the interim order dated September 15, 2022, passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT)... in original application... whereby the learned NGT in the impugned order has stated that total Rs 3,00

NGT directs NTPC to comply with environmental norms at its Bilaspur plant

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed NTPC Limited to take steps such as developing avenue plantation, preparing a time-bound plan for disposal of ash and identifying land for afforestation to comply with environmental norms at its plant in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. The requisite steps to be taken by NTPC were recommended by an oversight committee comprising the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), which was earlier constituted by the tribunal to verify the facts. The committee filed a compliance status report on August 16. "In view of the report, the only further direction of the tribunal required is that NTPC may take necessary steps in the light of observations in the report, including developing avenue plantation, obtaining further direction from MoEF&CC regarding EC conditions, preparing time-bound plan for disposal of ash and identifying land outside the project for afforestation, a ..

Inorganic fertiliser manufacture requires prior envt clearance: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has clarified that the manufacture or production of inorganic fertilisers required environmental clearance and added that such chemicals were covered under the Environmental Impact Assessment notification of 2006. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification imposes certain restrictions and prohibitions on new projects or activities or the expansion or modernisation of existing projects, unless prior environmental clearance has been obtained. The tribunal observed that merely because an erroneous stand regarding inorganic chemicals was taken by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in an earlier case, it could not be grounds to accept the petitioner's contentions. The NGT was hearing a petition filed by a private company for clarification that its products -- Potassium thiosulfate and Calcium, classified as liquid fertilisers -- did not fall under the notification. The petition further said that on representation made to

NGT seeks response from MoEFCC on pollution done by slaughterhouses

The National Green Tribunal has recently sought a response from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others while hearing a petition regarding the pollution caused by slaughterhouses. The petition claimed that slaughterhouses contributed immensely to pollution besides damaging the environment. It said whenever a new slaughterhouse was to be established, it was necessary to examine its impact on the environment according to the 2006 Environment Impact Assessment notification brought out to scrutinise all information about a project or activity and its potential adverse impacts on the ecology of a region. The petition argued that slaughterhouses and processing units must be brought within the ambit of the notification. A bench comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel said it was a "substantial question" related to environment. "Let respondents No. 1 (MoEF&CC)...file their response, if any, within one

SC stays NGT order to phase out public transport vehicles below BS-IV

The Supreme Court has stayed an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to phase out all public transport vehicles with BS-IV (Bharat Stage) engines and below in the next six months. A bench of Justices S K Kaul and Abhay S Oka issued notice to the parties in the case and sought their replies on the appeal filed by the West Bengal government. The NGT in its order had said the state government must ensure that public transport vehicles with BS-IV engines and below are phased out in six months so that only BS-VI vehicles ply in the state, including Kolkata and Howrah, thereafter. "It is her (counsel for the West Bengal government) say that in terms of the directions of this court in order dated October 24, 2018, no motor vehicle conforming to the emission standard Bharat Stage-IV was to be sold or registered in the country with effect from April 1, 2020. "Thus, registrations were carried out till that date as permitted, and therefore the 15-year period has to be counted from the d

NGT slaps compensation of Rs 50 cr on Mizoram for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has levied Environmental Compensation of Rs 50 crores on the state of Mizoram for allegedly not managing solid as well as liquid waste management

NGT panel to probe air pollution by Singrauli, Sonebhadra thermal plants

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a committee to submit a factual report regarding the issue of air pollution caused by the transportation of fly ash by various thermal power stations in Singrauli and Sonebhadra regions. Fly ash is a byproduct of coal-based power stations. The tribunal was hearing a petition which claimed that the authorities responsible for monitoring and supervising the transportation were not following the provisions of law and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines. A bench comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel constituted a joint committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, CPCB and the state pollution control boards. "The report shall highlight the compliance with the aforesaid provisions relating to the transportation of fly ash in accordance with Singrauli and Sonebhadra action plan to maintain the environmental quality of this ...

NGT directs Manipur govt to pay Rs 200 cr for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Manipur government to pay Rs 200 crore as environmental compensation for improper management of solid and liquid waste. A bench headed by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said remedial action cannot wait for an indefinite period, nor loose-ended timelines without accountability can be a solution. It said the responsibility of the state is to have a comprehensive time-bound plan with tied-up resources to control pollution. The bench, also comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said it is high time the state realised its duty to the law and to citizens and adopts further monitoring at its own level. Compliance of environmental norms on the subject of waste management has to be on high on priority, the bench said. The tribunal said the first change required is to set up a centralised single window mechanism for planning, capacity building and monitoring of waste management at the state level. It shou

SC stays NGT orders imposing fines on NOIDA, DJB over untreated waste

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the order of the National Green Tribunal imposing a fine of Rs 100 crore on NOIDA for failing to prevent untreated sewage from flowing into the Kondli irrigation canal. The top court also stayed the NGT order asking the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to pay a fine of Rs 50 crore for release of untreated sewage in the Yamuna river in the national capital. "Issue notice. Returnable in eight weeks. Pending further orders, the direction of the National Green Tribunal asking the NOIDA and DJB to pay Rs 100 crore and Rs 50 crore respectively as fine will remain stayed, the bench said.

NGT files suo-moto case in stone quarry collapse incident in Mizoram

The NGT has also asked the officials of the Mizoram Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department to appear before it on November 28 along with the officials of the MPCB