The tribunal, which has been a busy hub of environmental issues, ranging from challenges to clearance granted to projects of big industries to protection of eco-sensitive areas like Rohtang Pass and Kaziranga National Park, achieved a feat of pronouncing 56 judgments in a single day on December 10 by settling 209 cases.
Barely five years into existence, the NGT's pro-active role was noticed by international media which praised its speedy redressal of pollution issues as an elated Chairman Swatanter Kumar stated that the green panel disposed of 82 per cent pending cases in 2014.
However, the NGT had the last laugh as the Supreme Court later put the stamp of approval on the steps taken by it to bring the pollution level down in the capital which has achieved a dubious distinction of world's most polluted city.
The tribunal also lived up to the expectation and trust bestowed on it by the apex court while delegating the panel with the issue of Ganga and it acted tough against the polluting industries by ordering their closure.
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Rafting and camping activities in Uttarakhand also came under the scanner of NGT which banned camping activity in the entire belt of Kaudiyala to Rishikesh on the banks of Ganga till the regulatory regime comes into force but allowed the adventure sport rafting.
Keeping in tune with pledge of sustainable development,
While, cracking the whip on those polluting Yamuna, the green bench passed a slew of directions including a fine of Rs 5,000 on individuals spotted throwing waste or religious items in the river and held that every household in the city will now have have to pay a minimum environment compensation of Rs 100 for generating sewage.
In southern India, the tribunal directed the Andhra Pradesh government not to carry out any operation of clearing of land near the floodplains on the banks of river Krishna for construction of a new state capital without obtaining the environmental clearance.
Irked by the blame game by various departments within the state, it imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Delhi government for not following its orders on implementation of "Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017".
Even a 450-bed super-specialty hospital in Faridabad town of Haryana faced the ire of the tribunal which quashed its environmental clearance while slapping a fine of almost Rs 12 crore as damages for degrading the ecology.
The NGT slammed Assam government for failure to curb encroachments and commercial activities on National Highway-37 which passes through Kaziranga as it restrained Numaligarh Refinery Limited from carrying out any construction activity in the No-Development Zone in the national park.
transportation of coal with due "checks and balances" and sought coal mining plan from the state government with complete design and scientific methods to be adopted for safety of mines and its workers.
The construction of the 300 MW Lakhwar multi-purpose project being built by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) and 2880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh also came under green panel's scrutiny which sought response from the government on the issue.
The tribunal, which refused to decommission the 400-megawatt Vishnu Prayag Hydro Electric Project, directed all nine hydro-power projects in Uttarakhand to build their own sewage treatment plants (STPs) and make them operational within three months.
It warned of shutting down thermal power plants and coal mines in Singrauli and Sonebhadra areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for causing acute air and water pollution, asking the states whether the people there have the right to live.
While taking a tough decision to help battle alarming pollution levels, the tribunal also asked the central and state government departments not to purchase diesel vehicles and there would be no renewal of registration of diesel vehicles which are more than 10-year-old.
Slamming the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Haryana Government for the excessive delay in construction of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, it directed them to complete the work expeditiously to divert the traffic from entering the capital.
Noting the catastrophic effects of plastic on
environment, the green bench imposed a complete ban on plastic bags in cities like Haridwar, Chandigarh and announced a fine of Rs 5,000 on anyone found using or dealing with such material.
The year also witnessed imposition of massive fines on private firms and government institutions for non compliance of order and causing damage to the environment and ecology.
While noting "definite negligence" and "intentional lack of will" on the part of Railways, the tribunal imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the public transporter for its failure to keep tracks and platforms clean while directing rehabilitation of slum clusters located near railway tracks on "top priority".
The tribunal slapped a fine on the Akshardham temple management here for carrying out expansion without prior environmental clearance.
Rampant illegal mining across the country being carried "right under the nose" of authorities also caught the attention of the tribunal prompting it to immediately stop such activities.
In a stern warning to authorities, the green bench warned that their accounts might be attached and officials could face punitive action as it banned mining activity on Yamuna.
The green tribunal acted tough on glass and ceramic industries in Uttar Pradesh and constituted a committee to inspect the industries while directing them to collect samples of ambient air quality in the area.
Conservation of trees was another important agenda on the tribunal's list with the green panel directing Delhi government to increase the strength of the forest department.
The tribunal even directed filing of a contempt petition against Delhi government for defying its orders on trees and issued notices to NHAI, Noida Metro Rail Services, UP department of forests, Noida Authority, for tree felling.
Unauthorised harnessing of groundwater for construction purposes also caught the green tribunal's attention which has issued notice to builders in Delhi-NCR and imposed hefty fines on five-star hotels, malls and hospitals for not installing proper rainwater harvesting systems in their premises.
Heeding to the plea of a United States-based neurologist, the tribunal directed the Centre to ensure no disinfectant fumigation is carried out in aircraft while passengers are on-board.