DEFINITION

The Act of Parliament defines the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 as an act which provides
for the effective disposal of cases which relate to environmental protection and conservation of
forests and other natural resources including enforcement of legal rights and giving relief and
compensation for the damages to persons who are adversely affected.
The Tribunal provides for speedy environmental justice reducing the burden on courts. The
Tribunal is mandated for resolve and dispose of the appeals within 6 months of filling the same.
New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai
are also other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.  

ORIGIN
During the summit of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June
1992, India participated to provide judicial and administrative remedies to the victims of the
pollutants and other environmental damage.
The bill for NGT was published on 31 July 2009 and the bill was passed on 5 May 2010. The
National Green Tribunal has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal
Act 2010.
India is the third country following Australia and New Zealand to have such a system of NGT.
Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) works under the act of (NGT).
The Chairperson of the NGT is a retired Judge of the Supreme Court, headquartered in New
Delhi. On 18 October 2010, Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta became its first Chairman.
Each bench of the NGT will comprise at least one Judicial Member and one Expert Member.
Expert members should have a professional qualification and a minimum of 15 years of
experience in the field of environment/forest conservation and related subjects.