Team Herald
PANJIM: The Bombay High Court at Goa on Thursday issued notice to the Registrars of Principal Bench and the Western Zone Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Goa Foundation for setting up the Western Zone Bench which has been non-functional since January 2022.
The PIL challenges two notices issued by the NGT. The first notice issued by the Registrar General, NGT Delhi, September 6, 2021, enables the Principal Bench to set up four extra special Benches in the remaining four zones — East, West, South and Central. The second notice issued by the NGT Registrar Western Zone on January 4, stating that all matters filed before the Western Zone Bench will now be heard by the Central Zone Bench situated in Bhopal and select items to be heard by the Principal Bench Delhi.
The PIL alleges that both notices have been issued without any empowering provisions and are therefore contrary to the scheme of the NGT statute. They are therefore liable to be quashed and set aside.
The notice issued by the Division Bench is returnable by March 16, when the matter would be heard next. During the next hearing, the court will also consider the issue of granting interim relief to the petitioner.
The petitioner, represented by Adv Norma Alvares pointed out that the Western Zone Bench is inoperative since January 4.
“Presently only some matters are being taken up by the Principal Bench and access to the NGT is rendered most difficult. She submits that environment matters normally can brook no delay and if there is no appropriate forum to seek redressal, then, environment protection can be rendered a casualty,” the court observed as per submission made by the petitioner.
