New Delhi: In view of severe staff crunch in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the government has formed a selection-cum-search committee for the vacant posts, it has informed in Lok Sabha.

At present, out of a total sanctioned strength of one chairperson, 10 judicial members, 10 expert members and 161 other posts, the number of vacancies are one chairperson, five judicial members, eight expert members, and 81 other posts.

This has happened due to non-filling of vacancies, retirements, superannuation, resignations, promotion or completion of deputation tenure of the officials. At the same time, one out of three courts of the Delhi principal bench are working.

The Supreme Court had in the first week of December had sought an explanation from the Centre regarding the non-filling of vacancies in the NGT principal and zonal benches as a consequence of which its functioning has been paralysed.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra had issued a notice to the Centre on a petition filed by the NGT Bar Association.

The reason for the delay (in filling vacancies) is being seen as the Centre’s decision to modify the process of appointments after it amended the Finance Act.

Instead of a senior judge, its chairperson will now be recommended by a five-member panel, which will be led by the CJI or a nominee of the CJI.

However, a majority of the other members in the recruitment committee will be recommended by the Union environment ministry. The Centre has now said that it has constituted a selection-cum-search committee for filling the vacant posts.

“Applications have been invited for filling up the posts of judicial members and expert members in the NGT,” said an official.

On Tuesday, tribunal’s chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar retired from the post after an eventful five-year tenure.  

Justice Kumar was at the helm of various landmark orders, including the ban on 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles, the long-running M.C. Mehta case of the Ganga Action Plan, which started in the 1990s, and several directions for rejuvenation of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and the demolition of illegal hotels in Himachal Pradesh.