The National Green Tribunal Act, 2009

Current Status: The National Green Tribunal Bill, 2009 was passed by the Lok Sabha on April 30, 2010 and the Rajya Sabha on May 5, 2010

Ministry: Environment and Forests

The National Green Tribunal Act 2010 was approved by the President of India on June 2, 2010. It provides for establishment of National Green Tribunal- a special fast-track court for speedy disposal of environment-related civil cases.

An Act to provide for the establishment of a National Green Tribunal for the 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.

Salient Features

• The Act aims to set up specialised environmental courts in the country
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has replaced the existing National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) and has wider jurisdiction than the NEAA.
• NGT has been empowered to hear initial complaints as well as appeals from decisions of authorities under various environmental laws.

National Green Tribunal (NGT)

The National Green Tribunal has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for 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. It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues. The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.

The Tribunal’s dedicated jurisdiction in environmental matters shall provide speedy environmental justice and help reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts. The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same. Initially, the NGT is proposed to be set up at five places of sittings and will follow circuit procedure for making itself more accessible. New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.