NGT cancels its summer vacation to make up for hours lost due to lockdown

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The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday cancelled its summer vacations in order to make up for the loss of working hours in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and subsequent nationwide lockdown.

"As part of measures to contain the spread of pandemic coronavirus, during the lockdown phase announced by the Government till 14.4.2020, the NGT restricted its functioning only to hearing of urgent matters while its staff had been working from home. The lockdown has now been extended by the government till May 3, 2020," NGT Registrar General Ashu Garg said in a statement.

The statement said that the summer vacation for the NGT scheduled for June 2020 has been cancelled.

"In order to make up for the loss of working hours due to extraordinary situation that has so arisen and to obviate the hardship faced by the lawyers and litigants during this period, the Competent Authority has been pleased to modify the NGT calendar notified earlier and to order that the summer vacations for the NGT as scheduled for the month of June 2020 stand cancelled," the statement said.

The tribunal will be fully functional for the whole month of June, except for Saturdays, Sundays and gazetted holidays.

"The Registry of NGT shall be functioning on all Saturdays as well, except second Saturday. This shall be subject to further modification, if and when fresh directions are issued by the government, it added.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had also cancelled its summer vacation and that of its subordinate courts to make up for the time lost due to the halt of normal court proceedings owing to the coronavirus lockdown.