New Delhi, March 16: The environment and forests ministry (MoEF) plans to launch a National Green Tribunal along with a network of specialised environment courts across the country, which could be crucial in tackling India’s deteriorating environmental record.

Minister of state for environment Jairam Ramesh said India will be “the first country in the world to have an extensive network of specialised environment courts ... which will help provide a first-time judicial remedy for environmental damage.”
The minister added: “A centralised NGT will be set up along with a network of four benches, which will award civil damages for non-implementation of environment laws pertaining to water, air, industrial or agricultural pollution.”
The government, he said, would also taking steps to establish a National Environment Protection Authority (Nepa), whose “core mandate will be to ensure that the standards and stipulation under which environmental approvals are granted are actually adhered to.” The minister was delivering a keynote address on “Environment Audit: Concerns about Water Pollution in India” organised by the office of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
Elaborating on significant changes in the functioning of the environment ministry, Mr Ramesh said: “Both the Central Pollution Control Board and state pollution control boards will report to Nepa. The licensing functions of MoEF will also be transferred to Nepa.” The ministry, he elaborated, will evolve into a policymaking body, and its regulatory functions — granting actual approvals or clearances — will become the job of the new authority.
Nepa, he spelt out, would “have powers to ensure compliance since it will work on the principle of ‘polluter-pays’ and ‘precautionary’ principles on all matters relating to enforcement of project clearances and enforcement of environment laws.” He added: “While Nepa will carry out monitoring and compliance, the NGT will settle disputes.”

Rashme Sehgal