NGT raps govt over funds to assess status of NCZ

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Environment Ministry and the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) to resolve the dispute on budgetary support for assessing the status of the Natural Conservation Zone.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice AK Goel said the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), being the nodal agency, had all the jurisdictions to take a binding decision on the subject instead of prolonging the issue on the ground that the tribunal should decide the issue of inter-departmental coordination.

"We do not appreciate the stand of the concerned departments in bringing such issue before the Tribunal, avoiding their duties and responsibility to the detriment of public interest.

"We direct the MoEF and NCRPB to resolve the inter-se issue forthwith. The decision taken by the Secretary, MoEF in the matter will bind the NCRPB unless challenged at any appropriate forum," the bench said.

That National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) had submitted a proposal wherein it was stated that the whole exercise will take around 12 months and would have an estimated cost of Rs 1.86 crore subject to approval from MoEF.

The MoEF told the NGT that the proposal was discussed at length and it was decided that since the entire exercise of mapping would facilitate better planning and management of Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) areas that fall under the jurisdiction of NCRPB, the proposal could be forwarded to NCRPB for budgetary support.