Team Herald
PANJIM: The Assistant Solicitor General of India Pravin Faldessai on Tuesday informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that the Western Bench of the National Green Tribunal at Pune will be functional by April end.
“The Western Bench of National Green Tribunal at Pune will be functional by the end of April,” said Faldessai during submission of a matter before the High Court, on Tuesday.
The High Court has issued notice to the Registrars of the Principal Bench and Western Zone Bench of National Green Tribunal on a PIL filed by Goa Foundation for setting up the Western Zone Bench, which has been non-functional since January 2022.
The Western Zone Bench is inoperative from January 4, 2022 ever since the resignation of its judicial member.
The Supreme Court of India, through its order on January 31, 2018, had disallowed single-member benches from functioning, as this would be contrary to the NGT statute. However, even before the incapacitation of the Western Zone Bench, select matters were being taken out of its jurisdiction and heard by the Northern Zone Bench.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has posted the plea for hearing on May 2, following statement by Faldessai.
