{"id":53168,"date":"2023-03-09T15:41:51","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T10:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/?p=53168"},"modified":"2023-03-09T15:41:53","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T10:11:53","slug":"role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"Role of the National Green Tribunal in Environment Protection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Due to\nthe rapidly growing environmental concerns and expeditious disposal of cases\nrelating to that, National Green Tribunal (NGT) was formed to fulfil the\nlong-felt need. The National Green Tribunal was established on 18.10.2010 under\n<strong>NGT Act 2010<\/strong><sup><a class=\"text-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/greentribunal.gov.in\/sites\/default\/files\/act_rules\/National_Green_Tribunal_Act,_2010.pdf\"><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup>\nfor effective and speedy remedy in cases related to environmental protection, forest\nconservation, and other natural resources, including enforcement of any\nenvironmental right and giving compensation and relief for damages to the\nperson and property and for matters connected with them. The NGT works on the\nprinciple of \u2018polluter pays&#8217; and \u2018sustainable development\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ntribunal&#8217;s jurisdiction in environmental issues that are linked to the\nimplementation of laws which is listed in Schedule I of the Act will provide immediate\nenvironmental justice within the first six months of filing a petition and\nhelps to minimise the burden of litigation in higher courts although the\nCentral Pollution Control Board promotes cleanliness of streams and other water\nbodies and aims to improve the air quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>National Green\nTribunal has the right to hear all civil cases relating to the environment that\nare linked to the implementation of all the laws which is listed in Schedule I\nof the NGT Act 2010, which is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>The Water (P&amp;CP) Act 1974<\/li><li>The Air (P&amp;CP) Act 1981<\/li><li>The Biological Diversity Act, 2002<\/li><li>The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986<\/li><li>The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980<\/li><li>The Water (P&amp;CP) Cess Act 1977<\/li><li>The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: NGT has\nnot been vested with the power to hear any issues relating to the Wildlife\n(Protection) Act (WPA) 1972 and the Indian Forest Act 1927, and laws enacted by\nStates relating to forests, tree preservation etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#Origin_of_National_Green_Tribunal_in_India\" >Origin of National Green\nTribunal in India<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#Benches_of_National_Green_Tribunal_in_India\" >Benches of National Green\nTribunal in India<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#NGT_Judgement_for_Environmental_Protection\" >NGT Judgement for\nEnvironmental Protection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#NGT_vs_CPCB\" >NGT v\/s CPCB<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#Powers_and_Jurisdiction_That_Comes_Under_NGT\" >Powers and Jurisdiction\nThat Comes Under NGT<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#Penalties_levied_by_NGT\" >Penalties levied by NGT<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/role-of-the-national-green-tribunal-in-environment-protection\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Origin_of_National_Green_Tribunal_in_India\"><\/span>Origin of National Green\nTribunal in India<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Expansion of Industries and the beginning of\ndevelopmental activities in the country, a large number of environmental\nmatters or issues have begun to come up. There are several cases in which these\nhuman activities caused damage to the environment that cannot be recovered,\ni.e. Bhopal Gas Tragedy. So, The Supreme Court highlighted the difficulty faced\nby judges in adjudicating complex cases and emphasised on the need to set up a\nspecialised environmental court. Also, the Supreme Court highlights the\ndifference between court and tribunal by highlighting that &#8220;Every Court\nmay be tribunal, but every tribunal necessarily may not be a court&#8221;. In\n1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was held in\nRio de Janeiro, where India pledged to provide judicial and administrative\nremedies for the suffered victims due to different pollutants and other\nenvironmental damage. In the year 2010,\nthe National Green Tribunal was established under NGT Act 2010. It also\nreplaced the National Environment Appellate Authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benches_of_National_Green_Tribunal_in_India\"><\/span>Benches of National Green\nTribunal in India<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>India became\nthe third country in the world to set up this specialised tribunal for the environment\nafter Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the\nEnactment of the NGT act, New Delhi has been chosen as the principal Bench or\nheadquarters of the tribunal and has other sittings in Bhopal (Central zone\nbench), Pune (Western Zone Bench), Kolkata (Eastern Zone Bench) and Chennai\n(Southern Zone Bench) as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Composition:<\/strong> Chairperson\nis the head of a tribunal that sits in the principal Bench and has at least ten\njudicial members and expert members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NGT_Judgement_for_Environmental_Protection\"><\/span>NGT Judgement for\nEnvironmental Protection <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The landmark\nNGT judgment for environment protection that created history is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Samir Mehta Vs UOI and Ors<\/strong> &#8211; The case is related to pollution caused due to ship sinking and oil spill in the Territorial Waters, Contiguous Zone and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India and the liabilities and consequences arising thereof. In this case &#8216;Polluter Pays&#8217; principle was invoked.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Judgement:\n<\/strong>Respondent\nwas asked to pay a compensation of Rs. 5 crores under Maritime Zones Act, 1976.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Almitra H. Patel vs UOI and Ors<\/strong><strong>&#8211; <\/strong>Mrs\nAmrita Patel had filed a Public interest litigation under Article 32. The\npetitioner sought improvement in the practices for the treatment of solid waste.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Judgement:\n<\/strong>Strictly\nimplementation of the Solid Management Rules, 2016. Absolute segregation has\nbeen made mandatory in waste-to-energy plants, and landfills should be used for\ndepositing inert waste only and are subject to bio-stabilisation within six\nmonths. A complete prohibition on the open burning of waste on lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NGT_vs_CPCB\"><\/span>NGT v\/s CPCB<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nfundamental difference between NGT &amp; CPCB are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table class=\"wp-block-table table table-bordered\"><tbody><tr><td>\n  <strong>S.No.<\/strong>\n  <\/td><td>\n  <strong>NGT<\/strong>\n  <\/td><td>\n  <strong>CPCB<\/strong>\n  <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n  1\n  <\/td><td>\n  Established by an Act\n  2010\n  <\/td><td>\n  Created by executive\n  order of the Government in 1974\n  <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n  2\n  <\/td><td>\n  Specialised Judicial\n  Body\n  <\/td><td>\n  Statutory Organisation\n  <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n  3\n  <\/td><td>\n  Provide effective and\n  speedy remedies in cases related to environmental protection and conservation\n  of other natural resources.\n  <\/td><td>\n  Advising the Central\n  and State authority on matters related to prevention, improvement, control,\n  and abatement of Air and Water pollution.\n  <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Powers_and_Jurisdiction_That_Comes_Under_NGT\"><\/span>Powers and Jurisdiction\nThat Comes Under NGT<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the\npast few years, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has developed a statutory\norganisation for the regulation of the environment and passed strict orders on\nissues such as pollution, deforestation, waste management, etc. The major\npowers are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The establishment of NGT took away the right of the civil court to declare cases regarding environmental issues. So, now it&#8217;s compulsory to file the case before the NGT.<\/li><li>Even a PIL can&#8217;t be filed in the State High Court as all environmental litigation will be dealt with only by the five benches of NGT.<\/li><li>All the principles, such as sustainable development, precautionary principles, and polluter pays, are considered by the tribunal before deciding any case.<\/li><li>It ensures the strict observation of the <strong><a class=\"text-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/environmental-impact-assessment-eia\">Environmental Impact Assessment<\/a><\/strong> (EIA) process.<\/li><li>To ensure proper implementation of environmental-related laws that are listed in Schedule I of the National Green Tribunal Act.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Penalties_levied_by_NGT\"><\/span>Penalties levied by NGT<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>NGT is strict in case of non-compliance with its orders. It can cause a penalty which can impose imprisonment for three years and a fine of Rs. 10 crores which may also extend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For\nInstance, Blowout of the Baghjan oil well fire (May 2020) was reported by a\ngovernment-owned company Oil India Limited (OIL), at one of\nits gas-producing wells in Tinsukia (Assam) near the Dibru Saikhowa National\nPark. This resulted in three deaths, widespread local evacuations, and\nenvironmental damage to the surrounding National Park and Wetland. Furthermore,\nthe chemicals discharged due to the disaster are said to have devastated land\nand plants, are dangerous to people&#8217;s health, and have harmed the livelihoods\nof individuals who work primarily in agriculture, fishing, and animal\nhusbandry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reason:<\/strong> OIL had\ndisobeyed the Central Pollution Control Board\u2019s directions (CPCB)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Penalty<\/strong>: Rs 25\nLakh to 173 families and Rs 20 lakh to 439 families identified by the district\nadministration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>National Green Tribunal was set up with the aim of being the protector of the environment and fulfilling sustainable development goals of a clean environment. It has the power to direct the projects in a certain manner to minimise environmental impacts. Due to its expertise in the environmental domain, NGT processes environment-related cases in a swift way and lessens the burden of courts. NGT maintains the connection between the project proponent and environmental agencies by releasing orders and judgments. So, if the project proponent does not abide by any laws or orders released by NGT related to the protection of the environment, they may open themselves to many legal issues in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also Read<\/strong>: <br><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/eia-for-man-made-fibre-manufacturing\/\">Overview Of EIA For Man-Made Fibre Manufacturing\n<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/moef-and-cc-guidelines-on-eia-for-river-valley-projects\/\">Moef&amp;CC Guidelines On EIA For River Valley Projects\n<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/environmental-clearance-process-in-india\/\">Environmental Clearance Process In India: A Complete Outlook<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Due to the rapidly growing environmental concerns and expeditious disposal of cases relating to that, National Green Tribunal (NGT) was formed to fulfil the long-felt need. The National Green Tribunal was established on 18.10.2010 under NGT Act 2010[1] for effective and speedy remedy in cases related to environmental protection, forest conservation, and other natural resources, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":53175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2093],"tags":[3202],"acf":{"service_id":"688"},"authorName":"Shruti Garg","authorImageUrl":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image22.jpg","authorDescription":"An adept Environmental and Sustainability Consultant with Masters of Science in Environmental Science, Shruti gained hands on experience in EIA Reporting, CTE\/CTO, Environmental compliances, ESG, sustainability planning and reporting, GHG Inventorization and other environmental services. Apart from her experience as a consultant, her skillset includes business development to creating sustainable solutions, client relations, and project management.\u00a0","postViews":6361,"readingTime":5,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53168"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53168"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53177,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53168\/revisions\/53177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}