The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday observed that 50% of cases being filed at the tribunal were “cases of blackmailers” and not related to the environment.
A bench headed by chairperson Justice AK Goel said the tribunal would only deal with cases related to the environment and ecology. “Nowadays 50% of cases are of blackmailers,” Justice AK Goel said, according to PTI. “Earlier, we used to issue notices. But now we are not issuing notices and disposing of the cases.”
The observations came when the tribunal was hearing a plea filed by a Manikesh Chaturvedi who sought a stay on the construction of a 70-storey building in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
The tribunal bench noted that ISKCON had all the requisite permissions and asked the petitioner to approach authorities for its grievances. The petitioner had alleged that the building, that is touted to be the tallest religious monument in the world, will affect the environment as it is in the vicinity of the Yamuna River.
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