A Bill for setting up the National Green Tribunal (NGT), aiming to expedite the disposal of environmental cases of civil nature pending in higher courts, is on the anvil, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Monday.
In his reply to a written question, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said, the Bill for establishment of the National Green Tribunal is under finalization.
"The NGT intends to reduce the load of environmental cases of civil nature pending in higher courts and to help in speedy disposal of such cases.
"Since the NGT is proposed to have judicial members as well as expert members, it is likely to result in effective disposal of environmental cases which involve multi-disciplinary issues," he added.
When asked about the number of such cases pending in the courts, he said, "as environmental cases are inter-sectoral and cross-cutting in nature it is difficult to exactly quantify the same."