National Green Tribunal (NGT)July 2018 to July 2023 -Innovative steps to simplify procedures making NGT people friendly with faster disposal of matters – EQ Mag

Mr. Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel who had taken over National Green Tribunal as Chairperson on 06.07.2018 completed his tenure of 5 years today . During his period of 5 years, Justice Goel had brought in several innovative and people friendly methods for providing justice in the area of environment.

In the last five years July 2018 to July 2023 several innovative steps have been taken by National Green Tribunal with a focus to simplify the procedures to make National Green Tribunal people friendly and to improve faster disposal of matters.

Initiatives include the following:

• Use of Video Conferencing for speedy disposal of matters even prior to Covid-19 which has allowed litigants and advocates from all across the country ease of access to court proceedings.
• Special initiative for disposal of five year old and complex cases by a Special Bench was taken due to shortage of members at regional benches of NGT, which has helped bring down pendency of 5 year old cases which were not only hindering development and growth of this nation, but causing financial constraints also
• Various initiatives relating to court management and case management were taken such as identifying issue and scope of proceedings in first order. Zero adjournments were given which resulted in faster disposal of cases thereby leading to disposal of numerous matters relating to national importance. Joint committees were constituted which were often headed by retired Judges and statutory regulators which enabled independent ascertainment of factual position leading to speedy disposal. Technology was used to increase efficiency by way of service of notice through email, all filings in soft copy, placing of reports on website.
• Suo Motu interventions to remedy environmental degradation manifested by online data maintained by statutory regulators
• Suo motu interventions for compensation and protection of environment in cases of fatal accidents involving violation of environment safety norms which helped common man get expeditious relief on the basis of principle of restitution.
• Doors were opened to common man, irrespective of his financial status or his legal and technical knowledge by way of letter petitions which can be filed by way of e-mail, post or letter without requiring any technicalities of a normal petition.
• Tribunal has also been monitoring some important issues like rejuvenation of Yamuna and Ganga in compliance of monitoring under Supreme Court orders.
• Significant interventions to remedy gaps in waste management were made by the Tribunal in which three rounds of interaction with Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs and directions regarding scientific disposal of liquid and solid waste were passed. Tribunal also imposed total environment compensation of Rs. 79234.36 which was kept in ring fenced account for restoration of environment.
• NGT also imposed compensation on basis of ‘polluter pays’ principle for past violations so that such violations are not profitable, requiring the recovered compensation for use for restoration of environment. Such compensation was calculated broadly principle of restitution.

The details of the innovative step taken are given in a note Titled “Birds eye view of National Green Tribunal performance in the last five years (July, 2018 – July, 2023)” which has been uploaded on the National Green Tribunal website.

National Green Tribunal was established by Government of India under National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. The main objective of National Green Tribunal is efficacious and expeditious handling cases related to environmental protection, forest conservation, natural resource preservation, pollution compensation, and environmental restitution.

Since inception National Green Tribunal has been taking up cases relating to environment such as Air pollution, Noise pollution, Water pollution, Industrial pollution, waste disposal etc.