National Green Tribunal

NGT issues notice on Gurugram society's plea against DG sets installation

The society has objected to the construction, relocation and proposed installation of 24 high-capacity diesel generator (DG) sets, with a total capacity of 67,500 KVA

NGT orders to ensure installation of OCEMS in GPIs in UP, Bihar, Delhi

The National Green Tribunal has directed the CPCB and SPCBs to ensure the installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems in Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs).

NGT issues notices on alleged plastic waste violations by tobacco brands

The petition claims that banned plastic packaging materials are still being used and calls for strict enforcement of existing regulations

MoEFCC utilises 13% of ₹621 crore in environmental protection fund

Rs 138.38 crore has been committed to 24 projects, with Rs 117.2 crore still available for use

SC agrees to hear Adani Krishnapatnam Port's appeal against NGT order

Supreme Court seeks replies from CPCB and others after Adani port challenges NGT's penalty for coal dust pollution and environmental clearance violations

NGT seeks response to Ganga Action Plan execution gaps in West Bengal

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed that deficiencies in the implementation of the Ganga Action Plan in West Bengal be specified by the state, NMCG and CPCB by way of affidavit. The NGT, while reviewing the status of Ganga pollution control measures in West Bengal, noted that partial action has been taken in the state to control the flow of polluting materials into the river, but untreated sewage continues to flow into it from several drains. Noting that several sewage treatment plants are either non-functional or not meeting the standards, the principal bench of the NGT, headed by chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava, held that there are gaps in data, project execution and water quality. The NGT directed that the deficiencies and gaps noticed from disclosure made in reports of the state and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) be "responded to" by way of affidavit by the chief secretary of West Bengal, the director general of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

Approval hiccups hit schedule, profits of MMR and Bengaluru realty majors

The approvals were earlier handled by the state government authorities. MMR is said to be the most affected market by this decision

NGT asks environment ministry to frame guidelines for plywood industry

The National Green Tribunal has asked the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to frame guidelines for plywood industries in the country. The green body was hearing a matter regarding several plywood units causing pollution in a village in Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana. In its order dated May 27, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said there was an "urgent need for framing of guidelines" regarding the plywood industries as guidelines had been framed by environment ministry or Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding other industries, such as, sand mining, stone crushers, brick kilns and common bio-medical waste treatment plants by laying down measures for preventing or controlling air and water pollution. The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, said plywood industries had a pollution index of 78.3 and were included in the Orange' category of industries by the ..

NCRTC must comply with Delhi HC order on tree removal for RRTS project: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has said that the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has to comply with the conditions imposed by the Delhi High Court for allowing permission to fell or transplant 36 trees in a South Delhi colony for constructing the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). The Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor is an 82.15 km semi-high-speed rail corridor which will connect the national capital, Ghaziabad and Meerut. The green body made the observation while disposing of a plea that expressed apprehension about the possible environmental harm due to the uprooting of 40 big trees, of which 25 were fully grown, inside the premises of the Siddhartha Extension Pocket C here by the NCRTC as the trees were in the way of the RRTS track. The plea was filed by the residents welfare association of the area. In an order dated May 26, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The issue raised in this original application (OA) is covered by

Climate anxiety can't force us to compromise basic needs: Bhupender Yadav

India has the right to grow responsibly based on national circumstances and the climate anxiety gripping the world cannot force it to give up its right to ensure food, water and energy for its people, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Saturday. Addressing the National Conference on Environment, organised by the National Green Tribunal, he said rapid economic growth is the best defense against climate change for developing nations. The minister also said India is committed to mitigating climate change and has met its Paris Agreement commitments on green energy nine years ahead of the 2030 target. "India reserves its right to grow responsibly based on our national circumstances... But the climate anxiety which has gripped the world cannot force India to give up its right to ensure food, water, energy... to its 140 crore people. India is confidently striking a balance between challenges and opportunities," he said. Yadav said that under the Paris Agreement, the world

River Ganga pollution: SC stays NGT order imposing Rs 50,000 cost on Bihar

The Supreme Court has stayed the National Green Tribunal order that imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the Bihar government for non-compliance of its directives and not properly assisting it in a matter relating to the prevention and control of pollution of river Ganga. In its order passed on October 15 last year, the tribunal had also directed Bihar's chief secretary to remain present before it virtually to apprise it about the progress made for the prevention and control of pollution in river Ganga. The state government's plea challenging the tribunal's order came up for a hearing before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih. The bench issued notice to the Centre and others seeking their responses on the plea within four weeks. "Until further orders, there shall be stay of the impugned order," the bench said in its order passed on Friday. The tribunal is considering the issue of prevention and control of pollution of river Ganga and the matter is being taken up ..

Adani Group defends key projects amid alleged environmental law violations

Adani Group is defending itself against allegations made in India's National Green Tribunal that it started work on a $2 billion power plant without waiting for environmental clearance

Old is gold: Investing in a vintage car is more than your money's worth

Besides the bragging rights that come with one, many vintage cars appreciate in value over time, making them attractive financial assets

Maha Kumbh water fit for bathing: CPCB report cites 'variability in data'

A new report by the Central Pollution Control Board submitted to the National Green Tribunal has said that as per statistical analysis, the water quality during the recently-concluded Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj was fit for bathing. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report said the statistical analysis was necessitated because of "variability of data" in the samples collected from the same locations across different dates and on different locations on the same day, because of which these did not reflect the "overall river water quality throughout the river stretch". The report dated February 28 and uploaded on the tribunal's website on March 7 said the board had conducted water monitoring twice a week from January 12 onwards, including on auspicious bathing days, at five locations on Ganga river and two locations on Yamuna river. "There is a significant variability in the values on various parameters, viz pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and fecal ...

NGT reserves order on Kumbh 2025 sanitation plea, petitioner seeks Rs 10 cr

A tribunal bench, led by NGT chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava, has directed the Uttar Pradesh government and other authorities to take immediate action to fix the issue.

Complete desilting of 24 drains by May 31: NGT to Delhi govt department

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FCD) of the Delhi government to submit an undertaking that the desilting works of 24 drains in the national capital will be completed by May 31 to prevent flooding during the monsoon. The green body was hearing the issue of desilting of the 24 drains, which fall in the Yamuna. In an order dated February 21, the bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that the I&FCD had submitted a report dated February 20 about the status of desilting the drains along with details regarding the timeline for completion of the work. According to the report, the timeline for completing the desilting work across all drains is May 31. Most of the work has been completed by February 14 in Moat Drain of Vijay Ghat (84.92 per cent), followed by Civil-Military Drain (78.51 per cent), Maharani Bagh Drain (50.24 per cent), Abul Fazal Drain (49.21 per cent), Kushak Drain (48.93 per cent), ...

NGT slams UPPCB for submitting old water sample amid Maha Kumbh mela

Toxic waters: The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board had defended the water quality and said that the Ganga and Yamuna rivers met the required standards for bathing, except at one bridge

Illegal trees cutting in Greater Noida not taken seriously by UP govt: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has observed that the illegal felling of 980 trees in Greater Noida was not taken seriously by the Uttar Pradesh authorities, and asked the principal chief conservator of forest to appear virtually before it on May 13 to apprise it on the action taken. The green body was hearing a plea alleging unauthorised felling of a large number of trees in Greater Noida's DCM (Daewoo Motors) company premises which had been shut for the last 22 years. Observing that a significant number of trees have been cut, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said that after an inspection by the forest officers, 980 trees were found to be cut and that action had only been taken against two vehicles transporting timber from the illegally cut trees. "Such timber could, at most, be from eight to 10 illegally cut trees. There is no record indicating what action has been taken by the forest department to trace the timber cut from the more than 900 other trees, nor to

NGT issues notice to Centre on use of invasive fish for mosquito control

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Centre on two highly-invasive and alien fish species being used as biological agents for controlling mosquitoes. The tribunal was hearing a plea about two fish species -- Gambusia Affinis (Mosquitofish) and Poecilia Reticulata (Guppy) -- being released in water bodies to control mosquitoes in various states. The states which stored and released Mosquitofish were Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, while Guppy species had been released in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab and Odisha, the plea said. It said the National Biodiversity Authority declared these two fish species as "invasive and alien" as they adversely impacted the local aquatic ecosystems by causing food scarcity for the indigenous fish species. It also referred to the ban imposed on Mosquitofish by countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The plea referred to a rep

Groundwater extraction in Delhi reduced from 127% to 99% in 2023: CGWA

The Central Ground Water Authority has informed the National Green Tribunal that groundwater extraction in the national capital has reduced from 127 per cent in 2013 to 99 per cent in 2023. Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had taken suo motu cognisance of a PTI report regarding a UN study predicting that several parts of the country could experience critically low groundwater availability by 2025. It had also sought a response from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). In its action-taken report dated January 1, the CGWA said that along with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), it took several steps to increase groundwater levels, such as promoting artificial recharge, rainwater harvesting, sustainable agricultural practices, and community participation. "On reviewing the comparison of state-wise resource assessment reports from 2013 to 2023, it is evident that in most of the states/Union Territories (UTs), the percentage of groundwater extraction has significant