Green ministry obstructing our functioning: NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was causing a “serious obstruction” in the tribunal’s functioning by not providing an “appropriate response” in the matter of health hazards to students due to use of asbestos sheets in educational institutions.

Earlier in July, the green panel had asked the ministry to find out whether the hazards faced by students were different from the threats asbestos work posed to industrial workers. If the health risks were dissimilar, the ministry had to conduct a scientific study and submit it, the NGT said.

In an order dated November 26, a Bench of judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Afroz Ahmad said the reply of the ministry dated September 24 did not provide a specific reply regarding the scientific study.