NGT benches should be available across the country: Justice D Y Chandrachud

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) should spread out to the entire country, rather than expecting citizens to come to metropolitan cities, said Justice D Y Chandrachud Wednesday.

Delivering the 'Green Law' lecture on "Environmental Justice and the Rule of Law: Role of the Judiciary and Judges", organised here by the O P Jindal Global University (JGU), he said courts should be located centrally so that litigants do not have to travel long distances.

"Courts should be located centrally so that they are easily accessible and litigants do not have to travel long distances adding up to environmental cost," said Justice Chandrachud.

"Critical area is for the National Green Tribunal to fan out to different parts of the country and not expect citizens to come to large metropolitan cities in aid of justice," he added.

Agreeing with Justice Chandrachud, Justice Deepak Gupta, who was also present at the event, said to expect the marginalised to come to Delhi for every problem is highly inequitable and not at all in line with the constitutional measure of providing equal justice to all.

"Access to justice must be available to all and access to justice also means access to environmental justice," said Justice Gupta.

"The worst affected are always the marginalised and to expect them to come to Delhi for every problem is highly inequitable and not at all in line with the constitutional measures of providing equal justice to all," he added.

The event was also attended by Justices Michael D Wilson and Sabrina S McKenna of the Supreme Court of Hawaii and Dr C Raj Kumar, founding Vice Chancellor of JGU.