Faridkot NGO moves green tribunal to prevent axing of 20,000 trees

After an NGO came out strongly against the axing of over 20,000 trees for widening of a road here, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken up the issue for hearing on September 1.

Opposing the axing of trees for widening of National Highway No. 54 (Bathinda-Dabwali road), the Society for Ecological and Environment Resources (SEER) in Faridkot approached the NGT, suggesting a way under which roads could be widened only on its one side so that over 10,000 trees could be saved.

After the SEER raised the issue in October 2019, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had asked the Principal Secretary (Forests), Punjab, to consider the NGO’s suggestion.

What is National Green Tribunal (NGT):-
It is a specialised body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
With the establishment of the NGT, India became the third country in the world to set up a specialised environmental tribunal, only after Australia and New Zealand, and the first developing country to do so.
NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.
The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are the other four.

Structure of NGT:-
The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for term of five years and are not eligible for reappointment.
The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with Chief Justice of India (CJI).
A Selection Committee shall be formed by central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
There are to be least 10 and maximum 20 full time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.