NATIONAL TASK FORCE CONSTITUTED BY NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted an eight-member National Task Force (NTF) to combat air pollution and monitor remedial steps to improve air quality.

Important points:

• Composition: Senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs, Petroleum, Transport, Power, Agriculture, Health and the Central Pollution Control Board.
• The NTF may also monitor enforcement of laid down air aquality standards beyond non-attainment cities in other identified air polluted areas where air quality is poor and above.
• The Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories may continue to monitor progress in execution of action plans at the State-level with the assistance of monitoring cells in their offices and the Air Quality Monitoring Committee.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT)

• It is a specialized body.
• It was formed under the NGT Act, 2010.

Objective:

1. Effective and expeditious disposal of cases related to the protection and conservation of the environment;
2. To give relief and compensations for any damages caused;
3. To handle various environmental disputes that involve multi-disciplinary issues.

India is the third country in the world after Australia and New Zealand, for setting up a specialized environmental Tribunal.

• Places of sittings: Bhopal, Pune, New Delhi (Principal place), Kolkata, and Chennai.
• Composition: Chairperson, Judicial Member and Expert Members.
• There should be a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 fulltime Judicial as well as Expert members in the NGT.
• Term: 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment.
• The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in accordance with the Chief Justice of India.
• A Selection Committee is formed by the central government of India for the appointment of Judicial Members and Expert Members.

Civil cases are handled under the following seven laws:

1. Water Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1974
2. Water Cess Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1977
3. Forest Act (Conservation), 1980
4. Air Act (Prevention and Control of Polluti
5. on), 1981
6. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
7. Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
8. Biological Diversity Act, 2002

SOURCE:THE HINDU ,THE ECONOMIC TIMES ,MINT