Cases in NGT hit roadblock

Chennai: Majority of the cases filed in the second court of the Southern bench, National Green Tribunal (NGT) are seeing a roadblock, as the bench is functioning without an expert member for the past three months.

Nagin Nanda, a 1985 batch Indian Forest Service officer of Himachal cadre,  was appointed as a second expert member at the tribunal during March this year.

However, the member had gone back to the principal bench at New Delhi of NGT, after working at the Chennai office for a week.

Justice P. Jyothimani, a judicial member of the court-one of NGT here, assured Deccan Chronicle that the vacancies would be filled soon.

“Applications received are being processed. Apart from the post of the expert member, the posts of judicial members will fall vacant in the next six months, as both the judges (P Jyothimani and M. Sasidharan Nambiar) are up for retirement,” he said.

The cases at the second bench with Justice M. Sasidharan Nambiar as the judicial member are getting admitted, but are not legally progressing, said a source from the court.

“We are not aware when Nagin Nanda would resume work. As a single judge, Sasidharan Nambiar can only admit cases and dispose it in the initial stages. Further proceedings including summoning for replies, arguments and disposal of matters cannot be done without an expert member,” said an informed source from NGT.

It was learnt that the judge had asked petitioners to change the court by moving through the principal bench for a speedy trial.

Why is an expert member important?

Expert members in the green tribunal are professionals in the field of
environment, forest conservation and related subjects, with a minimum of 15 years' experience. They provide technical expertise to the judicial members.