On 05th August 2013, there was a case posted
before National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone), Chennai [APPLICATION No.
90/2013, Indian council for Enviro Legal Action & 2 others Vs. UOI &
230 others]. The said case is an
environmental issue case transferred from A.P. High Court to the Green Bench at
Chennai. To locate the address of the
Tribunal, several problems were faced by several litigants who were from A.P., and most of them are first-time visitors to the Tribunal. Astonishingly, there is no mention about this Tribunal even at Supreme Court website, leave alone
Madras High Court website. Google search
also proved futile.
The
Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the first permanent zonal
bench, which is operational since December 2012 cover four southern States and
the Union Territories of Puducherry and Lakshadweep. Already, environment-related cases in the
Green Benches of the High Courts of the southern States were being transferred
to the NGT’s southern zonal branch. The objective would be to provide effective
and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environment protection and
conservation of forests and other natural resources, including enforcement of
legal rights and compensation or damages in environment matters. NGT has got original and appellate
jurisdiction on matters pertaining to seven Acts related to water, air, forest
conservation, environment protection and biological diversity. Being such an important Tribunal,
non-availability of it’s web-presence/search engines absence about its’ location
is a matter of concern!
If all the Courts/Tribunals address (including phone
numbers) are displayed at appropriate Government websites (including SC
website), it will be useful to the litigants.
The Tribunal is located at 950/1, TNPCB Building, Poonamallee High Road, Arumbakkam,
Chennai – 600106. (From Koyambedu
Bus Stand it is reachable by share-Auto).
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