National Green Tribunal

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been established under the NGT Act, 2010 on 18th October, 2010 is headed by Chairperson L.S. Panta, a Retired Supreme Court Judge.
• At present  : Justice Swatanter Kumar
• The Tribunal has been established 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
• Highlights
• The Tribunal has the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
• The Tribunal is mandated to make an endeavor 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. The five places of its sitting are at Delhi, Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai.
• The Tribunal has the original jurisdiction over all civil cases where a substantial question relating to environment, including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment is involved.
• The Tribunal is competent to provide relief over and above as is admissible under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991. In order to ensure access to justice, pollution control boards and local authorities have also been empowered under the NGT Act to file an application or appeal before the Tribunal on behalf of the affected person.
• Appeal against any order of the Tribunal shall lie to the Supreme Court.
• No civil court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any appeal in respect of any matter which the Tribunal is empowered to determine under its appellate jurisdiction