National green tribunal : Jairam Ramesh

Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh Saturday said a legislation proposing setting up of a national green tribunal will be taken up by the Parliament next week.Ramesh addressing at a public meeting on Environment, Energy and Climate Change Education and Research at the IIT Mumbai, Mr. Ramesh said the bill provided for quick and effective disposal of cases relating to environmental issues had been cleared by the union cabinet in December last year.
He said with Public Interest Litigations on environmental issues flooding the courts, the proposed tribunal would be aimed to take off the pressure by handling all the civil cases relating to forestry and environment.It would also address all substantial questions relating to environment, he added.

He said the Ministry had also proposed to set up a National Environment Protection Authority (NEPA) similar to the one currently in operation in the United States,such an Authority would strengthen the regulatory framework and improve the environmental governance in the country, he added.The scope and configuration of the proposed Authority was currently being worked out by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.Mr Ramesh also highlighted various initiatives of his ministry to ensure environmental production.

He said that an Indian Network on Comprehensive Climative Change, involving 250 scientists, was being established to study and suggest measures for protection of coastal zones, western ghats, the Himalayan eco system and the North Eastern regions.He urged upon the IITs to set up environmental education and research in critical areas such as water resources management, clean coal technology and solar energy.