The Supreme Court on Friday set April 30 as the deadline for making functional benches of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Bhopal, Pune and Kolkata. It hoped the officials concerned in the States will meet the deadline and will not have to be summoned.
The apex court extended the January 31 deadline after it was informed that authorities in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal have failed to make the benches functional.
The bench of justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhaya expressed displeasure that the three States have failed to comply with its December 6, 2012 order and asked Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra to be in touch with the chief secretaries and other senior officials concerned so that the NGT benches become functional.
The bench was so anguished that in its order it noted, “At one stage it was felt that it was necessary to summon the officials of the three states.” It said it was deferring the matter for the time being since the ASG has been requested to be in touch with them. “They (officials) in uncertain terms shall be responsible personally for the functioning of the NGT benches at Bhopal, Pune and Kolkata.”
The bench further said it hopes and trusts that the officials concerned of the three states would make the benches of NGT functional and “avoid a situation in which the apex court would require their presence”.