--Though NGT had dismissed petition for delay in furnishing details
: The Supreme Court in a civil appeal case has directed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to hear a petition against environmental clearance (EC) to expansion of the Vedanta smelter project in Jharsuguda district.
Petitioner Satyanarayan Rao had appealed in the NGT against granting of EC to the unit, which was subsequently dismissed for the appellant delaying to furnish details. However, the SC directed the NGT to hear the petition filed by Rao.
The EC was granted on May 5, 2022. Appellant Rao did not have the copy of the order granting EC to Vedanta Limited which he had obtained after moving an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. Thereafter, Rao had engaged advocates for preparing the appeal and filing it.
The SC observed that the appellant, who is an individual, had faced difficulty in procuring information and details including the certified copy of the order granting EC. After procuring the documents, he had taken professional help to file an appeal which led to late filing of appeal in the NGT. So, the SC ordered that the delay in the filing of the appeal before the NGT is condoned and asked the NGT to hear the case.