Page 2 - National Green Tribunal

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

NGT petition seeks MP govt's word on safe disposal of Union Carbide waste

A petition has been filed in the National Green Tribunal's Bhopal bench seeking an assurance from the Madhya Pradesh government that the disposal of Union Carbide waste won't harm people in nearby areas. The petition has urged the green court to direct the state's chief secretary to declare on oath about the safety of people in Pithampur in Dhar district where the Carbide waste has been transported for disposal. The petition, filed by a Jabalpur-based social organisation, also seeks direction to the authorities in Dhar to submit on oath that the residents in the area won't be harmed due to the disposal of the Carbide waste. On Thursday, 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste reached Pithampur from Bhopal for disposal following the MP High Court order. Furthermore, the petition seeks direction to MP government to publish in Hindi and English newspapers a particular report regarding the disposal of this waste to allay public concerns, said PG Najpandey of Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch

DPCC collected over Rs 112 crore in compensation till Nov: Report in NGT

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee collected over Rs 112 crore in environmental compensation between April, 2015 and November 20, 2024, the NGT was recently told. According to the Central Pollution Control Board the environmental compensation (EC) was a policy instrument for the protection of the environment and worked on the "polluter pays" principle. In other words, fine was levied on violators of environmental laws and used for restoration. The green body had sought details on the EC imposed and its utilisation from the DPCC. In a report dated December 26, the committee said, DPCC has received Rs 11,208.15 lakh (Rs 112.08 crore) as EC fund from April 2015 till November 20 (2024), and Rs 3,605.66 lakh (Rs 36.05 crore) has been utilised so far. Giving a break-up of the utilisation, the report said the highest amount, about Rs 10.11 crore, was spent on information, education and communication activities, followed by an expenditure of Rs 8.77 crore on strengthening monitoring ..

NGT issues notice to Centre over ozone levels exceeding limits in Delhi

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Centre on the "feasibility and mechanism" for implementation of the CPCB's recommendations for controlling ozone levels, which were found beyond the permissible limits in some areas of the national capital. The green body earlier directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other agencies to submit relevant material explaining why ozone levels in these areas exceeded permissible limits. It had also sought "targeted approaches" that could be adopted for these areas. In an order dated December 23, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that the CPCB had submitted a report dated December 20 about the measures for control of ozone levels along with some suggestions or recommendations. The CPCB report said, "It has been recognised globally that control of ozone is only possible through control of its precursors. It is also evident that control of local sources of it

Illegal mining: NGT asks applicant to approach DPCC, mining dept first

The National Green Tribunal has asked a petitioner to approach the Delhi Pollution Control Committee or the mining department regarding allegations of illegal instream and riverbed sand mining from the Yamuna in north Delhi. The tribunal gave the order to enable the committee or department to ascertain the extent of the illegal activity. The green body was hearing a petition by the Jagatpur village chief, or 'pradhan', who alleged that the sand mafia was illegally extracting huge quantities of the sand in the area. The petition also alleged that a bund (check dam) created near Jagatpur and Burari villages in Delhi had developed cracks because of unauthorised activities. In an order dated December 24, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said that the complaint first required to be looked into by the DPCC or the mining department to find the "reality and extent" of the illegal mining. "Hence, we dispose of the original application (

NGT calls for safe disposal system of used solar panels, asks govt's reply

The matter was raised through a letter petition highlighting the environmental risks posed by discarded panels and the need for an organized system for their proper handling and management

Bengal, Bihar most impacted by arsenic contamination: Centre to NGT

West Bengal and Bihar are impacted the most by arsenic contamination of groundwater, the Centre has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The tribunal is hearing the issue of rice being susceptible to arsenic contamination because it absorbs more of the toxic semi-metallic element from water and soil. Earlier, it sought a reply from the Centre on it. In an order dated December 16, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had filed its reply after seeking inputs from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). "States of West Bengal and Bihar are reported to be most affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater irrigation by contaminated groundwater is the major route for arsenic entry into agricultural soil which ultimately leads to its entry into the food chain," the Centre said in its reply. There can be a "significant build-up" of the toxic element in r

India's compensatory afforestation efforts need reset, accountability

Poor implementation and data gaps hinder India's push for ecological balance

SC overturns NGT's 'ruthless' order to remove leprosy patients' centre

Calling it a "ruthless order", the Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside an NGT verdict directing the removal of a centre for leprosy patients running since 1960 in Pune. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan set aside the NGT order directing authorities to remove it for allegedly encroaching the forest land. "There is something called humanity; something called compassion and empathy. They (leprosy patients) are part of the society. We are giving lectures in five-star hotels on inclusivity and other things, and here a ruthless order is passed, without even hearing the society. All kinds of things are happening in the name of forests and environment in this country," the bench said. The top court said the green tribunal should have at least heard the society, running for decades, before passing such "sweeping directions" for removal of alleged encroachments from forest land. The top court said that the western zone bench of the NGT regardless of the categorical stand taken b

Illegal tree felling in Delhi: NGT issues notice to environment ministry

The National Green Tribunal has issued notice to the Centre regarding the alleged felling of scores of trees in the national capital. The green body was hearing about the alleged illegal felling of thousands of trees at Chajju Ram Bagh in Jindpur by a private builder to construct a warehouse and commercial godown. In an order dated December 9, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that the district magistrate of north Delhi did not file his reply, as per the tribunal's earlier order to produce the relevant khasra entries and revenue record of Chajju Ram Bagh of last 20 years to ascertain the correct position. The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) filed a compliance report enclosing an order where the forest officials concerned had imposed a compounding fee of Rs nine lakh for illegal felling of 15 trees. "It cannot be ascertained under what ...

SPG moves SC to extend registration period for three armoured vehicles

The Special Protection Group on Friday moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the National Green Tribunal which refused to allow extension of registration period of three specialised armoured vehicles by five years. The matter came before a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, which took objection that the elite force approached the NGT for registration of its vehicle instead of moving the top court in the MC Mehta matter. The top court has been monitoring the air pollution crisis in Delhi in an ongoing Public Interest Litigation in the M C Mehta case. Appearing for the SPG, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, urged the bench to consider the matter on an urgent basis and sought extension of registration period citing importance of the vehicles. Tushar Mehta said these vehicles are essential and integral part of Special Protection Group technical logistics. The bench converted the matter in an interlocutory application and posted the matter for hearing on

NGT urges coordinated plan between DDA, DJB to resolve pollution issues

Expressing exasperation at the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) not agreeing on a coordinated action plan, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the State or its instrumentality cannot suffer a violation of the right to clean environment on any pretext. The green body was hearing a matter regarding health hazards to residents because of a stagnant open drain in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj. In an order passed on December 9, a bench of judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Afroz Ahmad, taking note of the earlier proceedings, said, "The efforts made by this tribunal for coordinated resolution of the environmental issues did not succeed and the environmental issues were not resolved." The tribunal noted that on November 22, it had observed that the "DDA and DJB are not very serious about the protection of the environment and more interested in their financial matters, leaving people to suffer on account of continuous water ...

NGT seeks reply from environment ministry over illegal dumping in Siliguri

The National Green Tribunal has sought replies from the Union environment ministry's offices in West Bengal and Sikkim on the alleged illegal dumping of medical and hazardous waste in a vacant plot in West Bengal's Siliguri. The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a newspaper report regarding the unauthorised dumping in the Farabari area of the town, allegedly from the neighbouring state of Sikkim. "The article highlights that the situation became more complicated when it was revealed that the owner of the vacant plot had made private arrangements with truck drivers for waste disposal without obtaining necessary clearances from the local panchayat or other relevant authorities," a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said in an order dated November 27. The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member A Senthil Vel, said that the "irresponsible dumping" was inconveniencing the ...

NGT issues notice to environment ministry over Hyderabad pharma unit blast

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Hyderabad regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change and others on the blast at a pharmaceutical company in Hyderabad last month that left one dead and three others injured. The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a PTI report published on November 21 titled 'One dead, three injured in reactor blast at pharma company in Hyderabad.' In an order dated November 28, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The news item relates to a flash fire triggered by a reactor blast at a pharmaceutical company in Hyderabad, resulting in the death of one man and injuries caused to three others. As per the article, the incident occurred while the four workers were repairing the reactor." The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel said the news item did not indicate whether steps h

SC rejects NGT order, says tribunals can't outsource opinion for decisions

A tribunal has to arrive at its decision by considering all facts and circumstances, and cannot outsource an opinion and base its order on it, the Supreme Court has said and rejected an NGT order. While hearing the appeals challenging a April 2021 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said the tribunal committed a "glaring error" as it based its decision only on the basis of the report of a joint committee. "A tribunal is required to arrive at its decision by fully considering the facts and circumstances of the case before it. It cannot outsource an opinion and base its decision on such an opinion," the bench outlined. The apex court therefore set aside the NGT's order, which had held a firm guilty of violating the Environment Protection Act norms and imposed a penalty on it. The top court observed the NGT initially directed the firm's plant to be examined by the state pollution control board, which gave its findings and then

Environment Ministry causing 'serious obstruction' in functioning: NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was causing a "serious obstruction" in the tribunal's functioning by not providing an "appropriate response" in the matter of health hazards to students due to use of asbestos sheets in educational institutions. Earlier in July, the green panel had asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to find out whether the hazards faced by students were different from the threats asbestos work posed to industrial workers. If the health risks were dissimilar, the ministry had to conduct a scientific study and submit it, the NGT said. In an order dated November 26, a bench of judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Afroz Ahmad said the reply of the ministry dated September 24 did not provide a specific reply regarding the scientific study. The bench noted that the next day, the tribunal's order directed the MoEFCC to conduct a study after

NGT imposes Rs 20 lakh fine on MCD for dumping garbage near school

The green body was hearing the issue of the students of Akhil Bhartiya Netrahin Sangh school facing challenges and health risks

NGT issues notice to GSI over declining condition of Kerala's Varkala cliff

The National Green Tribunal has sought a reply from the Geological Survey of India and others in a matter over the deteriorating conditions of Kerala's Varkala cliff, a designated national geo-heritage site. The NGT was hearing the issue after taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report regarding the site in the state's Thiruvananthapuram district facing threats due to environmental violations and administrative oversight. A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel said, "The news item highlights that the most alarming violation was the controversial step of demolishing part of the cliff, supposedly to prevent landslides and that the GSI termed the demolition shocking given the site's immense geological and geomorphologic significance." The bench on November 22 further took note of the report over the extensive unauthorised constructions along the cliff, such as resorts, restaurants,

Punjab records 70% decrease in stubble burning incidents: NGT report

: The National Green Tribunal has been informed through a report that Punjab's stubble burning incidents have decreased by 70 per cent. The NGT previously sought regular reports from the authorities in the state on the issue of air pollution caused in the NCR owing to stubble burning. A report dated November 26 was filed by the director of agriculture and farmers' welfare department, saying "As a result of the efforts made by the state of Punjab, the number of paddy stubble burning incidents reduced from 36,551 on November 25, 2023, to 10,479 on November 25, 2024 -- a decrease of 70 per cent." The report stated about 19.52 million tonne of paddy straw was expected to be managed in the year through various means, including in-situ (managing paddy straw on the field) and ex-situ (transporting the straw for various uses) methods and using the residue for animal fodder. "In ex-situ management, primarily balers are used for collection of straw before transportation for industrial and ot

Sealing of illegal hotel borewells in Delhi continues, authorities tell NGT

Authorities in Delhi have informed the National Green Tribunal that the drive to seal illegal borewells across hotels and guesthouses in the national capital's Paharganj area would continue. The green panel had sought reports from the authorities, including the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the district magistrate of central Delhi, on illegal extraction of groundwater by 536 hotels or guesthouses in the area. Last month, while hearing the matter, the tribunal noted the stand of the authorities concerned that the hotels and guesthouses were operating after informing about their borewells under a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS). "Prima facie it appears that some kind of scam is going on where, though no VDS is available with the authorities, no authority knows who had framed the VDS and no one has a copy of the VDS. Yet, the authorities are extending the concessions based on VDS. We expect the chief secretary of the GNCTD (Government of the ...