The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established under:

Question

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established under:

1. A. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
2. B. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (Correct answer)
3. C. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
4. D. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

Correct Answer

Option B — The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

Key Points

• The National Green Tribunal was established by its own dedicated statute, the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, and began functioning on 18 October 2010. India became the third country in the world, after Australia and New Zealand, to set up a specialised environmental court.
• The other options name substantive pollution-control statutes rather than the Tribunal's founding law: the EPA 1986 is the umbrella framework, while the Water Act 1974 and Air Act 1981 create and empower the pollution control boards.

Additional Information

• The Act was passed to give effect to Article 21 (right to life, read to include a healthy environment) and Article 48A, and it replaced the earlier National Environment Appellate Authority.
• The NGT is required to dispose of applications within six months, and it is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure, applying instead the principles of natural justice — the design intent being speed.
• Its Principal Bench sits in New Delhi, with regional benches at Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai. Benches combine judicial members with expert members holding scientific or administrative qualifications, which is what makes it a specialised forum.
• The Tribunal applies the polluter pays, precautionary and sustainable development principles expressly under Section 20, and appeals from its orders lie to the Supreme Court.