(E.W)
The National Green Tribunal in 2021 not only flagged key environmental issues of the country but also brought a new dynamic functioning style as it sensitised the government machinery to act fast and intensify its surveillance and vigilance mechanism.
The NGT cracked the whip on industrial units causing pollution and stressed on cleaning of the Ganga and the Yamuna.
With courts switching to the virtual mode in the wake of COVID-19, the NGT continued to hear the cases through video conferencing and it even advanced summer vacation for 2021 in the light of exponential surge in coronavirus cases in April and May.
The year gone by also saw imposition of heavy fines and environment compensation on public authorities for failing to discharge their “statutory” obligations and corporate houses for damaging the environment and ecology.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the cleaning of Ganga, the NGT said innocent citizens drink water of the river out of reverence without knowing the harmful contents and the least expected from the authorities is to notify the extent of harmful contents at appropriate locations.
On the issue of pollution in Yamuna, the tribunal said water quality remains highly deteriorated as pollutants are still being discharged into the drains.
It rapped the authorities in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh over discharge of polluted water in the Yamuna saying they are meant to protect the public health and environment and not just enjoy position and perks.
