Letter urges CJI to set up 'green benches' in high courts

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) A lawyer has written to Chief Justice B R Gavai urging him to constitute dedicated and permanent "green benches" in all high courts for speedy and effective adjudication of environment-related matters.

The letter said "climate disasters" and "massive ecological assaults" were taking place in the country.

Advocate and environment activist Akash Vashishtha said though the National Green Tribunal had evolved to be an effective and efficacious forum for the settlement of disputes, the inherent limitations of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, posed major hurdles for the citizens in seeking environmental justice.

"As against a remedy under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, a remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution of India before a high court is an all-encompassing recourse, enabling citizens, as victims, to seek compensation for the environmental wrongs committed in rem as well as in personam," the letter sent to the CJI said.

The lawyer in his letter stressed on the "critical need of the hour" to establish a speedy and effective mechanism for a permanent, dedicated and robust resolution of environment, ecology and climate change issues in every high court of the country.

"Constitute dedicated and permanent, one or more 'green benches' (on the lines of that in the Supreme Court), in all 25 high courts in the country. The number of green benches in each high court may be in accordance with the number of courts functioning in that respective high court, the numerical strength of the judges, thereof, and the population of the state(s) under the territorial jurisdiction of that high court," the letter added. PTI PKS PKS AMK AMK