the goan I network
PANAJI
This was disclosed by President of the National Green Tribunal Bar Association Adv Asim Sarode
who was in Goa for an interactive session with journalists on various aspects of Environmental Laws and the National Green Tribunal. He has called for greater enthusiasm on environmental issues, akin to that of religious fervour.
“Around 45 per cent of the cases being heard by the Western Zone bench of the National Green Tribunal are cases from Goa. Among these cases, the maximum are about violations of the Coastal Regulation Zones with neighbour fighting against neighbour or cases of one against another. Cases of individuals fighting against large industries are very few,” Sarode said.
The Western Zone bench was set up under the National Green Tribunal Act in 2010 and has jurisdiction of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Daman, Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
Goa being the smallest State in the area offers the single largest contribution of litigation.
Given the number of cases from Goa, Sarode said that the NGT Western Zone was even considering setting up a circuit bench in Goa where in the NGT members would hear cases in the State possibly once in two weeks or even more frequently.
“There is a possibility that the NGT will set up a circuit bench in Goa and come down to Goa once in two weeks,” Sarode said.
Sarode in his brief talk called for environmental enthusiasm on the lines of religious fervour. “Why don’t we think about environment the same way we think about religion?, he asked.
On the contrary he cited issues where religious practices were affecting the environment especially that of immersion of Ganesh idols in rivers that are a source of drinking water and noise pollution during festivals.
“The environment has no voice of its own but it shows that it is affected through various means,” he said.
Sarode rued large scale corruption which ended detrimentally for the environment as well as the lack of qualified persons to be ministers of environment.
Sarode explained how the NGT came about after a SC order for a redressal mechanism in cases of violation of the environment given that India is a signatory of several UN treaties.
