President Murmu inaugurates National Conference on Environment 2025

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the National Conference on Environment held at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on 29th March 2025. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change , Bhupendra Yadav, Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT),Justice Prakash Shrivastava,Justice Vikram Nath, Judge, Supreme Court of India and R. Venkataramani, Attorney General of India was also present on the occasion.

Vice-President to address the Valedictory session 

The two-day National Conference on Environment will end on 30th March 2025. The valedictory session of the Conference will be addressed by the chief guest, Vice- President of India, Jagdeep Dhankar. 

It will also be addressed by Justice P. S. Narsimha,  Judge, Supreme Court of India, and Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India. 

Organiser of the  National Conference on Environment 2025

The  National Conference on Environment 2025 has been organised by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The conference is being held on 29th and 30th March 2025.

Aim of the National Conference on Environment 2025

The National Conference on Environment focuses on the legal aspect of Environmental laws and their proper implementation. 

Thus, the Conference brings together the Judges of the Supreme Court, High Court, District Court, and the policymakers- the government of India and its various ministries.

The Conference will try to foster collaboration, raise awareness, and promote collective action for environmental protection and sustainable environmental management.

Four Technical sessions 

Four technical sessions will be organised during the two-day National Conference on Environment.

The session will be on:

• Air Quality Monitoring & Management: 
• Water Quality Management & River Rejuvenation: 
• Forest and Biodiversity Conservation: 
• Reflections and Key Takeaways.

About National Green Tribunal (NGT)

The National Green Tribunal is a specialised judicial body which was set up in 2010 under the provisions of the National Green Tribunal Act  2010, passed by the Parliament.

It deals with environmental cases related to the following environmental laws: 

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977;
• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
• The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
• The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;
• The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but is guided by principles of natural justice.

The decision of the Tribunal can be challenged only in the Supreme Court within 90 days of its judgment.

Composition of the NGT 

The NGT consists of a Chairman and members. The members are either judicial or experts.

Judicial Members - 10-20 members,

Expert Members - 10-20 members.

Benches of the NGT 

The NGT has a Principal Bench and five Zonal Benches.

Principal Bench- New Delhi, and the Chairperson sits in the Principal Bench

Zonal Benches:

• North Delhi;
• South - Chennai;
• Central- Bhopal;
• East - Kolkata;
• North- Pune.

Chairperson of the NGT: Justice Prakash Shrivastava