Jairam Ramesh Says NGT 'Emasculated', Cites Study on Pro-Industry Rulings

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday accused the Narendra Modi government of having "emasculated" the National Green Tribunal over the past decade, pointing to a study that found the body did not decide in favour of a single environmental or public-interest party in any appeal heard on merits during the first half of 2026.

In a post on X, the former Environment Minister cited an analysis published on September 19, 2026, by the South Asian Reporter for Environment Laws (SAREL). According to the findings, 119 appeals were filed before the NGT's five benches between January and June 2026, of which 52 were dismissed on procedural grounds — a figure Mr. Ramesh described as questionable in itself.

Of the 67 appeals that reached a ruling on merits, 51 were filed by industry, project proponents or property owners. That group received favourable orders in 30 cases, roughly 60% of its appeals. By contrast, environmental or public-interest parties filed 16 appeals seeking environmental justice, and all 16 were dismissed without a single favourable ruling.

The SAREL analysis reported that the industry side was dismissed in only about a third of its appeals and secured a favourable order in 59% of the 51 merit appeals, with a further 6% preserved at status quo. It also flagged dismissal on technical grounds as a major filter, noting that 44% of all appeals were thrown out on limitation, jurisdiction, maintainability or withdrawal grounds without any merits ruling.

Mr. Ramesh said the contrast was especially significant because the NGT was established in June 2010 through an Act of Parliament to deliver effective and expeditious environmental justice to citizens. He called on the tribunal to recover and rediscover its courage and to uphold the letter and spirit of the NGT Act, 2010.