Green tribunal Bench dismisses its review petition
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) held that the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has to act as the nodal agency to ascertain whether the sub-regional plans for protection of National Conservation Zones (NCZ) prepared by the States are in consonance with the regional plans prepared by the National Capital Region Planning Board. The green panel earlier dismissed a review petition moved by the Environment Ministry.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel observed, “Review of the order has been sought for to the extent that instead of MoEF&CC, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs [MoHUA], be made the nodal agency as the latter Ministry has the mandate and resources to accomplish the job of finalisation of revised regional plan of the National Capital Region [NCR] being undertaken.”
The green panel further observed that the MoEF&CC, in the initial order was made the nodal agency “for effective monitoring”.
“The paramount consideration of doing so was for effective monitoring work of delineation of NCZ having regard to the fact that the primary consideration for the exercise is to ensure safeguard of the environment in respect of which the apex body is MoEF&CC,” the Bench held.
The Environment Ministry in its plea had contended that it is “only one of the participating members of the NCRPB” for providing all technical and advisory support.
