Lok Sabha Question No. 1267 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-22
Subject: Vacant Posts in NGT
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: VINOD KUMAR BOIANAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1267

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2017

## Vacant Posts in NGT

## 1267.  SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR: SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the total sanctioned strength vis-à-vis the total number of vacant posts in the National Green Tribunal (NGT);
- (b) the reasons for discrepancies between sanctioned and actual strength of NGT and the steps being taken to ensure that these vacancies are filled at the earliest;
- (c) whether a number of posts of judges and experts are lying vacant at the Chennai bench of NGT catering to the cases of Southern Region and a number of cases are pending for a long time;
- (d) if so, the details of the sanctioned strength of judges and experts in NGT Chennai and the posts lying vacant since when along with the details of the cases pending; and
- (e) the reasons for delay in filling up the vacancies and the measures being taken to fill up the vacancies to make efficient the functioning of NGT Chennai?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)  The  total  sanctioned  strength  in  the  National  Green  Tribunal  comprises  one Chairperson, ten Judicial Members, ten Expert Members and 161 other posts. The number  of  vacant  posts  as  on  21.12.2017  are  one  Chairperson,  five  Judicial Members, eight Expert Members and 81 other posts.

(b)  The  different  posts  have  fallen  vacant  due  to  superannuation,  resignation, promotion  or  completion  of  deputation  tenure  of  the  incumbents.  As  per  the provisions of National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 and the Rules framed thereunder, as amended from time to time, necessary steps are being taken to fill up the vacancies.

(c) & (d) The Southern Zonal Bench of NGT has two Benches. On attainment of superannuation  of  1  Judicial  Member,  only  1  Bench  was  functional.  With  the superannuation of 2 Expert Members,  three  vacancies had arisen.  As  on 21.12.2017, there are 544 cases pending in the Chennai Bench of NGT.

(e)  Applications  have  been  invited  for  filling  up  the  posts  of  Judicial  Members and  Expert  Members in  the  NGT  vide  advertisement  issued  by  the  Ministry  of Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  on  1 st March,  2017  and  subsequent advertisement issued on 29 th August, 2017 in compliance with the provisions of the Tribunal, Appellate Tribunal and other Authorities (Qualifications, Experience and  other  Conditions  of  Service  of  Members)  Rules,  2017,  notified  by  the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance on 1 st June, 2017. The Search-cumSelection  Committee  for  the  vacant  posts  of  the  Chairperson  and  Judicial Members  has  been  constituted  and  that  for  the  Expert  Members  is  under finalization. To fill up the other vacant posts, efforts are being made by the NGT to fill these posts by promotion or on deputation basis.

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