{"id":356831,"date":"2026-02-26T18:18:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=356831"},"modified":"2026-02-26T18:23:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:53:08","slug":"national-green-tribunal-ngt-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/national-green-tribunal-ngt-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"National Green Tribunal (NGT) &#8211; Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court in a 2021 judgment described the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as not a mere adjudicatory body but a specialised protector tasked with fostering environmental justice &amp; equity.<br \/>\nHowever, a major investigation done by The Indian Express recently has revealed deep-seated structural and functional issues within the NGT. These findings suggest that the tribunal, originally designed as a &#8220;specialized protector&#8221; of the environment, is undergoing a significant &#8220;pro-project&#8221; shift.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-356845 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mDc14GMgACNDZfHtwIg6FSVc3w.avif\" alt=\"National Green Tribunal\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mDc14GMgACNDZfHtwIg6FSVc3w.avif 1024w, https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mDc14GMgACNDZfHtwIg6FSVc3w.avif 300w, https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mDc14GMgACNDZfHtwIg6FSVc3w.avif 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><a href=\"#h1\">What is National Green Tribunal (NGT)?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h2\">What is the composition of NGT?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h3\">What are the objectives &amp; functions of NGT?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h4\">What is the jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h5\">What are the powers of NGT?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h6\">What is the significance of NGT?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h7\">What are some of the landmark judgments of NGT?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h8\">What are the limitations\/criticisms of NGT?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h9\">What can be the way forward?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h1\"><\/a>What is National Green Tribunal (NGT)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"citation-23\">The <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"0\" data-index-in-node=\"4\"><span class=\"citation-23\">National Green Tribunal (NGT)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-23 citation-end-23\"> is a specialized judicial body in India established to handle cases related to environmental protection and the conservation of forests and other natural resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"citation-21\">It was established in 2010, under the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"43\"><span class=\"citation-21\">National Green Tribunal Act<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-21 citation-end-21\">, India became only the third country in the world (after Australia and New Zealand) to have a dedicated environmental tribunal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>It is guided by the principles of <strong>sustainable development<\/strong>, the\u00a0<strong>precautionary principle<\/strong>, and the\u00a0<strong>polluter pays principle.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The NGT has a\u00a0<strong>Principal Bench<\/strong> in New Delhi and four zonal benches to ensure accessibility across India:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Central Zonal Bench<\/strong>: Bhopal<\/li>\n<li><strong>Eastern Zonal Bench<\/strong>: Kolkata<\/li>\n<li><strong>Southern Zonal Bench<\/strong>: Chennai<\/li>\n<li><strong>Western Zonal Bench<\/strong>: Pune<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h2\"><\/a>What is the composition of NGT?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #f7f6a1;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 65.6431%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Qualification\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Appointment\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Chairperson<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 65.6431%;\">Must be a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%;\">Appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Judicial Members<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 65.6431%;\">Must be a Judge of a High Court (or have been one),\u00a0or qualified to be a Judge of a High Court.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%;\">Judicial and Expert members are appointed by a committee formed by the Central Government.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1.02354%;\"><strong>Expert Members<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 65.6431%;\">Must have professional qualifications and experience (minimum 15 years) in environmental science, forestry, biodiversity, climate change, or related fields, or administrative experience in environmental governance.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%;\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strength of the Tribunal:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Minimum 10 and maximum 20 Judicial Members<\/li>\n<li>Minimum 10 and maximum 20 Expert Members<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Term of Office:<\/b> Members are appointed for a term of <b data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"52\">5 years<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Non-Reappointment:<\/b><span class=\"citation-43\"> To ensure unbiased decision-making during their tenure, members are <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"87\"><span class=\"citation-43\">not eligible for re-appointment<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-43 citation-end-43\"> once their term ends.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h3\"><\/a>What are the objectives &amp; functions of NGT?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Expeditious Justice:<\/b><span class=\"citation-83\"> To ensure environmental cases are settled within <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"70\"><span class=\"citation-83\">6 months<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-83 citation-end-83\"> of filing, preventing long-drawn-out legal battles that often allow environmental damage to continue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"3,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-82\">Specialized Adjudication:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-82 citation-end-82\"> To provide a forum where technical environmental issues are handled by people who actually understand the science (Expert Members) alongside legal professionals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"3,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-81\">Enforcement of Rights:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-81\"> To protect the citizen&#8217;s right to a healthy environment, which the Supreme Court of India considers a part of the &#8220;Right to Life&#8221; under <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"3,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"159\"><span class=\"citation-81\">Article 21<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-81 citation-end-81\"> of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"3,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-80\">Reducing Judicial Burden:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-80 citation-end-80\"> To take the weight of thousands of complex environmental cases off the shoulders of the High Courts and the Supreme Court.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h4\"><\/a>What is the jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Original Jurisdiction:<\/strong> <span class=\"citation-589 citation-end-589\">The NGT only has the power to hear civil cases that involve a &#8220;substantial question relating to the environment.&#8221;<\/span> <span class=\"citation-588\">These questions must arise from the implementation of the following <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"182\"><span class=\"citation-588\">seven laws<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-588 citation-end-588\"> listed in Schedule I of the NGT Act:<\/span>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974<\/li>\n<li>The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977<\/li>\n<li>The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980<\/li>\n<li>The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981<\/li>\n<li>The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986<\/li>\n<li>The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991<\/li>\n<li>The Biological Diversity Act, 2002<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Appellate Jurisdiction<\/strong>: NGT also acts as an appellate body. It can hear appeals against specific orders or decisions made by various authorities (like CPCB, SPCBs, State governemnts) under the laws mentioned above. For example, if a government authority grants or refuses an environmental clearance, or if a State Pollution Control Board issues certain directions, an aggrieved party can appeal that decision to the NGT.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h5\"><\/a>What are the powers of NGT?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Power of a Civil Court:<\/b><span class=\"citation-569 citation-end-569\"> It has the same powers as a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) for summoning witnesses, requiring discovery of documents, and receiving evidence on oath.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-565\">Power to Grant Relief &amp; Compensation:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-565\"> It can award <strong>monetary damages<\/strong> to victims of pollution and order the <\/span><strong><span class=\"citation-565\">restitution<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"citation-565 citation-end-565\"> of damaged property or <strong>restoration<\/strong> of the environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"8,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Regulatory Independence:<\/b><span class=\"citation-564 citation-end-564\"> It is not strictly bound by the &#8220;Indian Evidence Act&#8221; or &#8220;CPC.&#8221;<\/span> Instead, it is guided by the <b data-path-to-node=\"8,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"118\">Principles of Natural Justice<\/b>, allowing it to be more flexible and faster than regular courts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Penalties for Non-Compliance<\/strong>: If a person or organization fails to comply with an NGT order, the Tribunal can impose severe punishments like Imprisonment up to 3y, fine (Individual) up to <b data-path-to-node=\"16,2,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"6\">\u20b910 crore, <\/b>fine (Company) up to <b data-path-to-node=\"16,2,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"6\">\u20b910 crore<\/b>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Suo Motu Powers: <\/strong><span class=\"citation-73\">The NGT has the unique authority to take up cases on its own <\/span><span class=\"citation-73 citation-end-73\">based on media reports or public information, even if no formal complaint has been filed by an affected party. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h6\"><\/a>What is the significance of NGT?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Faster Justice Delivery:<\/strong> Before the NGT, environmental cases would languish in civil courts for decades. <span class=\"citation-649\">The NGT is mandated to deliver a final decision within <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"135\"><span class=\"citation-649\">6 months.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><strong>Scientific Decision Making<\/strong>: Environmental law is complex and involves data on carbon emissions, effluent levels, and biodiversity. <span class=\"citation-647\">Since the NGT bench includes scientists and environmental experts alongside judges, the rulings are based on <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"5,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"131\"><span class=\"citation-647\">technical accuracy<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-647 citation-end-647\"> rather than just legal technicalities.<\/span> This reduces the reliance on external committees, which often delayed court proceedings in the past.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Upholding Global Environmental Principles<\/strong>: The NGT has been a pioneer in enforcing three major international legal doctrines:\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-646\">Polluter Pays:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-646 citation-end-646\"> It has slapped massive fines on major corporations and state governments for dumping waste or polluting rivers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Precautionary Principle:<\/b> It can stop a project <i data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"47\">before<\/i> damage occurs if there is a high risk to the ecosystem.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"9,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Intergenerational Equity:<\/b> Ensuring that today\u2019s development doesn&#8217;t rob future generations of clean air and water.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Self-Initiative:<\/b><span class=\"citation-644\"> It can take up cases on its own (<\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"50\"><span class=\"citation-644\">Suo Motu<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-644 citation-end-644\">) based on a news report or even a letter from a concerned citizen, ensuring that even marginalized communities have a voice against powerful industrial lobbies.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Enhancing Access to Justice:\u00a0<\/strong>Relaxed procedures, suo motu powers, and broad &#8220;aggrieved person&#8221; definition make it easier for citizens and groups to seek environmental justice.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Institutional Primacy &amp; Trust:<\/strong> NGT has been recognized by the Supreme Court as the primary body for environmental oversight, entrusted with monitoring complex national issues like river pollution.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Expanding the Right to Life<\/strong>: The NGT has played a crucial role in expanding the interpretation of the Indian Constitution. Its proactive interventions have effectively extended the scope of the\u00a0<strong>right to a clean environment<\/strong>\u00a0as an integral part of the fundamental\u00a0<strong>Right to Life (Article 21). <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h7\"><\/a>What are some of the landmark judgments of NGT?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"height: 690px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ebfa98;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 180px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 19.6008%; height: 180px;\"><strong>Shivalik Hills &#8220;Vanishing Hills&#8221; Case<\/strong><br \/>\n(Punjab)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.3992%; height: 180px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Landmark intervention\u00a0to protect ecologically fragile Shivalik range (groundwater recharge zone). Case taken up\u00a0suo motu based on media reports.<\/li>\n<li>Closure of 13 stone crushers in Hoshiarpur and Rupnagar; recovery of over\u00a0<strong>\u20b9180 crore<\/strong> in environmental compensation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 120px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 19.6008%; height: 120px;\"><strong>Morbi Ceramic Units Case<\/strong><br \/>\n(Gujarat)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.3992%; height: 120px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Upheld a\u00a0<strong>\u20b9122 crore<\/strong> fine against 337 ceramic units for using prohibited coal gasifiers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 120px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 19.6008%; height: 120px;\"><strong>Bhopal Adampur Waste Plant Case<br \/>\n<\/strong>(Madhya Pradesh)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.3992%; height: 120px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Imposed\u00a0<strong>\u20b91.80 crore<\/strong> penalty on Bhopal Municipal Corporation for flouting solid waste management rules.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 120px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 19.6008%; height: 120px;\"><strong>Ban on Old Vehicles in Delhi <\/strong>(2015)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.3992%; height: 120px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The NGT banned all <b data-path-to-node=\"3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"31\">diesel vehicles older than 10 years<\/b> and <b data-path-to-node=\"3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"71\">petrol vehicles older than 15 years<\/b> from plying on Delhi-NCR roads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 150px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 19.6008%; height: 150px;\"><strong>Yamuna Floodplain Case <\/strong>(2016)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.3992%; height: 150px;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"citation-678\">The NGT fined the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"30\"><span class=\"citation-678\">Art of Living Foundation \u20b95 crore<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-678 citation-end-678\"> as &#8220;environmental compensation&#8221; for damage caused to the Yamuna floodplains during the World Culture Festival.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h8\"><\/a>What are the limitations\/criticisms of NGT?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Persistent Vacancies:<\/strong> By law, the NGT should have a minimum of 10 Judicial and 10 Expert members. However, it often operates with far fewer, leading to a massive backlog of cases. Lack of appointments has occasionally forced regional benches (like Chennai or Kolkata) to shut down temporarily, forcing litigants to travel to the Principal Bench in New Delhi or attend hearings via video conferencing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limited Jurisdiction:<\/strong> Despite being the primary environmental court, the NGT cannot hear cases under two very important laws <strong>Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972<\/strong> &amp; <strong>Indian Forest Act, 1927<\/strong>. This creates a fragmented system where a person might have to go to the NGT for a pollution issue but to a regular civil court for a wildlife-related grievance in the same area.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"18,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Appeals to Higher Courts:<\/b> Almost every major NGT order is immediately challenged in the Supreme Court. This often leads to &#8220;litigation fatigue,&#8221; where the environmental damage continues while the case is stuck in the superior court\u2019s appeals process.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"18,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Lack of &#8220;Teeth&#8221; for Execution:<\/b> The NGT relies on state pollution control boards and local authorities to enforce its orders. If these bodies are corrupt or inefficient, the NGT\u2019s ruling remains only on paper.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"14,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Arbitrary Fines:<\/b> Often, fines ranging from \u20b95 crore to \u20b9100 crore are imposed based on a company&#8217;s <b data-path-to-node=\"14,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"99\">revenue<\/b> rather than a scientific assessment of the actual <b data-path-to-node=\"14,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"157\">environmental damage<\/b> caused. This has led to many NGT orders being stayed or overturned by the Supreme Court on the grounds that the penalties were &#8220;vague&#8221; or &#8220;unscientific.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><strong>The &#8220;Pro-Project&#8221; Shift (2020\u20132025)<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li>An\u00a0investigation done by the Indian Express of over <b data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"25\">100,000 NGT orders<\/b> reveals a startling asymmetry in how the tribunal rules on environmental and forest clearances (EC\/FC).<\/li>\n<li>For e.g. of the 329 appeals filed by citizens &amp; activists against the grant of clearances by the govt, only in 20% cases did the NGT rule in favour of the appeal.<br \/>\nConversely, when the project&#8217;s proponents appealed against the denial of clearances by the govt, in nearly 80% of the cases, they secured relief.<br \/>\nThis is not a historical norm, as data from 2016-2019 shows a more balanced approach where both sides hovered between 18% &amp; 31%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conflict of Interest in &#8220;Expertise&#8221;:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of 13 expert members appointed since 2016, 9 were part of decision making process for granting various green clearances at the highest level of the govt. In contrast, before 2016, only 2 of the 11 experts were associated with govt&#8217;s green clearance process. This raises the question of conflict of interests &amp; propriety as the Tribunal&#8217;s appellate jurisdiction covers all govt orders, including project clearances issued under Envt Protection Act 1986 &amp; Forest Conservation Act 1980.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dismissal on &#8220;Technical Grounds&#8221;:\u00a0<\/strong>Public grievances are increasingly being silenced by procedural technicalities rather than being heard on merit. The NGT follows a strict 90 days appeal filing deadline. A significant number of citizen appeals are being dismissed on technical grounds, labelled as &#8216;time barred&#8217; for being filed after more than 90 days.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h9\"><\/a>What can be the way forward?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Mandatory Full Strength:<\/b><span class=\"\"> The government should be legally mandated to maintain the minimum strength of <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"103\">10 Judicial and 10 Expert members<\/b><span class=\"\">.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Delays in appointments should be treated as a violation of the NGT Act.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Academic &amp; Independent Experts:<\/b> Instead of almost exclusively appointing retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) or government officers, the NGT should include <b data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"156\">active environmental scientists, ecologists, and independent researchers<\/b> from top universities and NGOs.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-702\">Transparency in Selection:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-702 citation-end-702\"> The selection process for members should be made public, with clear criteria to prevent the appointment of &#8220;pro-project&#8221; individuals who might have a conflict of interest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Monitoring Wing:<\/b><span class=\"citation-701 citation-end-701\"> Currently, the NGT depends on State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) to enforce its orders.<\/span> A dedicated monitoring wing within the NGT could conduct independent &#8220;surprise audits&#8221; to ensure compliance.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"11,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-700\">Uniform Compensation Framework:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-700\"> As suggested by the CPCB in late 2025, there should be a <\/span><span class=\"citation-700\">standardized formula<\/span><span class=\"citation-700 citation-end-700\"> for calculating environmental fines.<\/span> This would move away from &#8220;arbitrary&#8221; fines and make the orders harder to challenge in the Supreme Court.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"15,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Include Wildlife and Indian Forest Acts:<\/b> Bringing the <b data-path-to-node=\"15,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"54\">Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972<\/b> and the <b data-path-to-node=\"15,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"94\">Indian Forest Act, 1927<\/b> under the NGT\u2019s umbrella would create a &#8220;one-stop shop&#8221; for environmental justice, preventing litigants from having to run between different courts for the same project.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"19,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Relaxing the &#8220;90-Day&#8221; Rule:<\/b> The strict timeline for filing appeals often penalizes rural communities who may not find out about a project&#8217;s &#8220;Environmental Clearance&#8221; until it&#8217;s too late. The Tribunal should have more flexibility to condone delays in public interest cases.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"19,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Multilingual Proceedings:<\/b> Making judgments and notices available in regional languages (not just English) would empower local communities to participate in the judicial process more effectively.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">UPSC GS-2: Polity<br \/>\nRead More: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/2020-25-in-4-of-5-appeals-green-watchdog-ngt-rules-in-favour-of-developers-to-clear-projects-10552569\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Indian Express<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court in a 2021 judgment described the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as not a mere adjudicatory body but a specialised protector tasked with fostering environmental justice &amp; equity. However, a major investigation done by The Indian Express recently has revealed deep-seated structural and functional issues within the NGT. These findings suggest that the tribunal,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/national-green-tribunal-ngt-explained-pointwise\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">National Green Tribunal (NGT) &#8211; Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10391,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-356831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10391"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=356831"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356831\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=356831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=356831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=356831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}