Introduction
Established in 2010, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is India’s statutory body dedicated to swift adjudication of civil cases concerning environmental protection, forest conservation, and public liability insurance, among othersmint+2The Amikus Qriae+2ResearchGate+2Wikipedia. With jurisdiction across five regional benches, NGT is mandated to resolve environmental disputes within six months—a mandate tested amid rising environmental demands.
Caseload & Disposal: Data Highlights
Aggregate Figures (Up to April 2025)
As of April 30, 2025, the NGT has instituted 49,659 cases since its inception; of these, 45,030 cases have been disposed, leaving a balance of approximately 4,629 pending casesWikipediaGreen Tribunal+1Green Tribunal+1. This reflects a ~91% disposal rate, suggesting NGT largely meets its target of timely resolutions.
Bench-Wise Trends
Analysis of performance between August 2022 and July 2023 shows:
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The Pune bench disposed 633 cases while receiving 554 new cases, reducing its cumulative backlog to 575The Amikus Qriae.
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The Kolkata bench showcased similar efficiency, disposing 421 cases against 334 received, with overall pendency at 106Green Tribunal+3The Amikus Qriae+3ResearchGate+3.
A broader study reveals disposal rates ranging from 94% overall, with only about 6% pending across benchesResearchGate+1Down To Earth+1.
Yet anecdotal reports highlight persistent backlogs—particularly in southern, western and eastern benches, where pendency has ranged between 40–60%, while the principal bench often fares better at around 30%ResearchGate+2Down To Earth+2Wikipedia+2.
Effectiveness in Environmental Enforcement
Landmark Interventions & Environmental Fines
NGT continues to deliver high-impact rulings and financial penalties:
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In Noida (Loni), UP Jal Board and local civic body were fined ₹24 crore for discharging untreated sewage into green belts; NGT ordered infrastructure upgrades within a yearThe Times of India+10Down To Earth+10reddit.com+10The Times of India+3reddit.com+3The Times of India+3.
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In Kurali, Punjab, a municipal council was penalized ₹68 lakh for illegal dumping of solid waste; use of the landfill was banned, and alternative sites mandatedThe Times of India.
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In Faridabad, NGT issued notices to multiple authorities over felling of heritage trees, ordering environmental compensation assessments for violationsThe Times of India+1The Times of India+1.
NGT's suo motu activations—like challenging clearances in Odisha (stone quarry project)—demonstrate active scrutiny of environmental governance processesindiatoday.in+2mint+2The Times of India+2.
Case Monitoring & Compliance Oversight
The NGT actively monitors implementation of its directives. For instance:
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In Noida, it tracks restoration of 1,018 pond encroachments, with agencies committing to complete work by November 2025The Times of India.
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In Chennai, all activity on 118 acres recovered from Madras Race Club has been frozen pending ecological assessment, with a focus on groundwater recharge plansThe Times of India.
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In Delhi, the Ghazipur landfill clean-up is under progress, with a full reclamation target set for 2028 and regular updates provided to the tribunalThe Times of India+1The Times of India+1.
Institutional Challenges & Critiques
Jurisdictional Overreach & Legal Scrutiny
Critics argue NGT sometimes oversteps its statutory mandate—especially through suo motu actions or rulings impacting state authority. The Supreme Court has overturned orders citing procedural lapses and improper reliance on outsourced expert opinions (e.g. Grasim Industries case)mint+1mondaq.com+1. The Tribunal’s suo motu powers remain in legal ambiguity, occasionally prompting dissent over federalism concernsmint.
Human & Institutional Resourcing
While benches function with minimal staffing—typically one judicial and one expert member—the caseload remains high. Constraints and staff shortages have caused delays in certain regions, with under-staffing flagged as a systemic concernDown To Earth.
Procedural Fairness Issues
In cases like Grasim Industries, the Supreme Court criticized NGT for failing to conduct hearings or allowing affected parties to present a defense—demonstrating the Tribunal’s need for tighter compliance with natural justice principlesmondaq.com.
Strategic Implications & Institutional Reforms
Thought leaders like Vijay Kelkar and Pradeep Mehta have called for legislative clarity and procedural guidelines to recalibrate NGT’s mandate—specifically clarifying suo motu authority, jurisdiction boundaries, and institutional coordination with state authoritiesmint.
Recommendations include strengthening bench-level capacity, procedural standardization, better staffing norms, and clearer division of central/state responsibilities to prevent overreach while preserving effectiveness.
Conclusion
The NGT has emerged as a pivotal institution in India’s environmental jurisprudence—handling tens of thousands of cases with a disposal rate exceeding 90%, and delivering enforceable environmental justice across diverse domains.
Its performance shows efficiency in many zones, particularly in Pune and Kolkata benches, and in high-profile enforcement cases where timely orders and ecological compensation have had real-world impact. However, persistent uneven backlog, resourcing limitations, jurisdictional ambiguity, and occasional procedural lapses remain challenges that require systematic improvement.
Going forward, enhancing institutional capacity, legislative clarity, consistent procedural standards, and enforced resource allocations will be key to ensuring the NGT continues to deliver timely, balanced, and credible environmental justice.