Organisation

The ERC (Environment Impact Assessment Resource and Response Centre) cell of Nilgiris had organised an orientation program on EIA and National Green Tribunal in Kotagiri last Saturday, March 17, 2012. On behalf of Osai, Kalidasan, Avainayagan, Thenmurugakani, and lawyer Nicolas attended the one-day program. The venue was Keystone Foundation, Kotagiri.

The program started with Samir Mehta and Latha Anantha discussing the WGEEP report's recommendations. The report can be downloaded from Goa Foundation. Pandurang Hegde informed about the 25th SWG Meet to be held from November 29th to December 1st in Maharashtra and Archana Godbole invited to attend the same.

Pushp Jain gave a brief introduction about the National Green Tribunal. Then the young, energetic and charismatic supreme court lawyer, Ritwick Dutta explained the nuances of the same to the audience in a simple and lucid manner. His crispy narration kept us all spellbinding for the entire session. Interesting quotes of court orders kept flowing from him. He elaborated about how the EIA given to Pallikaranai solid waste management project was challenged and nullified by the NGT. He also referenced the NGT ruling about the interpretation of "persons aggrieved." Also he mentioned that NGT has ordered the government to submit a report regarding the nuclear radiation from the thermal power plants. The details of NGT rulings are available at EIA Resource and Response Centre.The programme was coordinated by Ms. Tamilselvi (ERC, Nilgiris).