Green tribunal pulls up environment ministry
The tribunal warns if the compliance is not made, it would be compelled to pass stringent orders
New Delhi: The national green tribunal on Friday pulled up the environment ministry for not filing its decision on two reports on ecology of the Western ghats.
The tribunal is hearing a case related to iron ore mining in Goa, filed by Goa Foundation, an organization that has been fighting miners in the state.
It said the environment ministry was not taking “the Orders of the Tribunal in right perspective and with seriousness".
The environment ministry had set up a committee headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil to prepare a report on maintaining the ecology of the Western ghats.
Once the Gadgil panel submitted its report, the ministry set up another committee headed by Planning Commission member K. Kasturirangan to look into the document and give its recommendations.
The tribunal on Friday decided to give the ministry four weeks to decide whether it accepts or rejects the reports submitted by Gadgil and Kasturirangan.
“We make it clear that if now the compliance of the Orders of the Tribunal is not made, we would be compelled to pass stringent orders in accordance with law," the tribunal said.
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