Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel set foot in the courtroom for the last time as the chairperson of the National Green Tribunal on Thursday. It was around 11 am, there were no witnesses to his swan song except the two dozen law interns who filled half of the room for 50.
But the 69-year-old’s final sitting was all of 11 minutes. Only two cases were listed before the principal bench comprising four members. Justice Goel, a former Supreme Court judge, flipped through petition files on solid waste management and river pollution wearing his characteristic smile, consulted with his fellow bench members, nodded, dictated orders and left the courtroom. Neither of the petitioners were heard.
