A bench comprising acting Chairperson Justice A S Naidu and expert member P C Mishra issued notice to the American company after a plea was moved to implead it as a party in the case.
"A petition has been filed to implead American Tower Corporation Ltd as respondent no 12. It is submitted that the said respondent is likely to be affected by any order passed in this case. Considering the submissions made the prayer is allowed.
"Notice on question of maintainability of the application be issued to the newly added respondent," the bench said.
The NGT was hearing Delhi resident Arvind Gupta's plea alleging inaction on the government's part in strictly implementing guidelines regarding installation of mobile towers in the country.
In his plea filed through advocate B P Tripathy, Gupta has alleged that "norms are flouted brazenly by all companies involved with installation of mobile towers" and the Department of Telecommunications has not been implementing the guideline while allowing setting up of the towers.
The NGT bench has also given the other parties in the case three more weeks to file their replies, after they sought more time, and has listed the matter for further hearing on January 17, 2013.
Earlier on November 21, the Tribunal had sought the response of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Ministry of Communications & IT, Ministry of Health, Securities and Exchange Board of India and telecom firms -- Bharti Infratel Ltd, Airtel, Idea, Vodaphone, Tata, Reliance and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (MORE)