In a written reply to the Lok Sabha last month, union minister for law and justice Kiren Rijiju revealed that the National Green Tribunal, a quasi-judicial body to adjudicate environment matters, was disposing of more cases than new applications. However, members of several NGT benches have raised concerns over the manner in which old cases are being cleared.
Of the 24 cases passed on from zonal benches and heard by special benches in July, 23 were cleared in a single hearing. Newslaundry also looked at these cases and found that several NGT benches formed committees – with officials from departments which were responsible for inaction against polluters or violators – for compliance. In many cases, the panel also left it to officials to decide the penalty, which a section of lawyers claimed should not be an administrative decision, and failed to fix accountability for inaction.
