What is the National Green Tribunal (NGT)?

January 04, 2025

Registrationwala

NGT's full form is the National Green Tribunal. NGT was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act. It is a judicial body having expertise in dealing with environmental cases in the country. Many cases related to extended producer responsibility (EPR) are dealt with by the NGT.

With the inception of this tribunal, India became the third country to set up a specialized environmental tribunal after Australia and New Zealand. In this blog post, we will understand what the National Green Tribunal is, its goals, judicial powers, structure and benches.

National Green Tribunal Meaning

The National Green Tribunal is a statutory body in India established under the Act of Parliament “National Green Tribunal Act, 2010”. It works under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It is tasked with making disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing the same.

The dedicated jurisdiction of NGT in environmental matters aids in achieving timely environmental justice and also reduces the burden of litigation in higher courts in India.

Benches of National Green Tribunal

The National Green Tribunal has presence in 5 zones in India i.e., North, Central, East, South and West, through its Principal Bench and Regional Benches.

Principal Bench: The Principal Bench is located in North Zone with its headquarters in Delhi.
Regional Benches: The Central Zone Bench is located in Bhopal.

The East Zone and South Zone are located in Kolkata and Chennai, respectively. Finally, the West Zone is situated in Pune.

Goals of National Green Tribunal

The National Green Tribunal in India has various goals, including the following:

To provide for the effective and speedy disposal of cases connected with environmental conservation and protection of forests and other natural resources.
To create/raise awareness and consciousness amongst the general public and policymakers regarding the environmental protection and management of natural sources.
To uphold and protect legal rights related to the environment and provide relief and compensations for damages to individuals and immovable property.
As part of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, one of NGT’s goals is to protect the basic right to have a safe environment for everyone.
To promote practices relating to sustainable development and assist in dealing with environmental challenges.
To make the environmental governance and accountability in the country stronger with the help of a specialized and dedicated judicial system.
To bring together legal professionals and environmental scientists to make timely and well-informed decisions on a variety of environmental issues.

Organizational Structure of NGT

The National Green Tribunal consists of the following members:

Organizational Structure of NGT

The Chairperson, Judicial Members and Expert Members make up the National Green Tribunal. Once appointed, they shall hold office for a period of three years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They are not eligible for being reappointed.
The Central Government, in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), appoints the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal.
To appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members of the NGT, a Selection Committee is formed by the Central Government.
The NGT must consist of at least 10 and maximum 20 full-time Judicial Members and Expert Members.

Powers of the National Green Tribunal

NGT plays an indispensable role in environmental protection and conservation in India. The major powers of the National Green Tribunal can be understood through the following points:

It deals with civil cases and provides relief in disputes related to the following laws:

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

For non-compliance with its orders, the National Green Tribunal has the power to impose strict penalties.
When settling cases, it has the power to act as a Civil Court under the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita (BNSS).
Earlier, NGT conducted proceedings under the Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860. Now, it conducts proceedings under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
To victims who have suffered from environmental and pollution injury, including accidents caused due to hazardous substances.
To address violations of major environmental laws and decisions made by authorities of the Indian government.
If deemed necessary, the tribunal may reimburse damaged property or monetary compensation and reimbursement of areas of the environment.
The NGT is empowered to develop its own procedures and functions on the basis of natural justice rather than simply adhering to the procedures specified in the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita.
The National Green Tribunal is prepared to deal with multidisciplinary environmental conflicts and challenges.
The NGT can take up environmental matters on its own initiative without a formal complaint because of its suo moto powers.
It is required of the Tribunal to try its best to resolve any appeals or applications within six months of the date of filing.

In simple words, the powers of the National Green Tribunal are adjudicating environmental cases, imposing penalties, acting as a Civil Court, handling multidisciplinary disputes, ensuring speedy case disposal and providing relief to those affected by environmental damage.

Conclusion

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is a judicial body that upholds the principles of environmental justice and sustainable development. It deals with complex environmental issues with a combination of judicial and scientific expertise. To protect the environment, the NGT enforces legal rights.

The Chairman, Expert Members and Judicial Members of the NGT work together to ensure continuous efforts are made to overcome environmental challenges and enhance the efficacy of the Tribunal.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the full form of NGT?

A. The full form of NGT is National Green Tribunal.

Q2. What does the National Green Tribunal do?

A. The National Green Tribunal is a specialized judicial body dealing with environmental disputes and enforcing environmental laws.

Q3. Which Act empowers the National Green Tribunal to deal with environmental disputes?

A. The National Green Tribunal Act 2010 empowers the National Green Tribunal to deal with environmental disputes.

Q4. Who is the current Chairman of the National Green Tribunal?

A. At present, the Chairman of the National Green Tribunal is Hon’ble Mr. Justice Prakash Shrivastava. He was appointed as Chairperson of National Green Tribunal (NGT) on 21st August 2023.

Q5. How many Judicial Members and Expert Members does the NGT have?

A. The NGT has at least 10 and no more than 20 judicial members and expert members.