Filing in the National Green Tribunal is not complicated, but it is unforgiving. The time limits are short, the Tribunal expects the facts to be supported by documents, and a weak first filing is hard to repair later.
There are three main kinds of NGT filing. An application under Section 14 raises a substantial question about the environment, for example a factory discharging effluent into a drain. A claim under Section 15 asks for compensation or restoration. An appeal under Section 16 challenges an order made under one of the scheduled laws, such as a consent refusal, a closure direction or an environmental clearance.
We draft and file all three, at every bench, and we also defend respondents who have been served with notice.
हिंदी में सारांश
NGT में तीन तरह के मामले दायर होते हैं: धारा 14 के तहत आवेदन (6 महीने में), धारा 15 के तहत मुआवज़े का दावा (5 साल में) और धारा 16 के तहत अपील (आदेश मिलने के 30 दिन में)। देरी होने पर ट्रिब्यूनल 60 दिन तक की छूट दे सकता है। दायरगी ऑनलाइन होती है और सबूत के तौर पर दस्तावेज़, फ़ोटो और जाँच रिपोर्ट ज़रूरी हैं।
Is this your situation?
- You want to stop pollution from a factory, STP, landfill or construction site
- You want to challenge an environmental clearance or forest clearance
- A pollution board refused or cancelled your consent
- You have been directed to close or pay compensation
- You want compensation for crop loss, health damage or property damage from pollution
- You have been served notice in an NGT case and must reply
The basics
Who can file
Any person can file an application. Appeals can be filed by anyone aggrieved by the order, including residents and NGOs.
Time limits
6 months, 5 years or 30 days depending on the type of case, with up to 60 extra days for good reason.
Documents
Orders, consents, photographs, test reports, complaints made earlier and replies received.
Court fee
A modest fee under the NGT rules; compensation claims attract a fee linked to the amount claimed.
Which bench
The bench covering the state where the cause of action arose.
After filing
Notice, reports from committees or regulators, replies and a final order.
Check these three things first
Is it a matter the NGT can hear? The Tribunal decides questions under seven laws: the Water Act, the Water Cess Act, the forest conservation law, the Air Act, the Environment (Protection) Act, the Public Liability Insurance Act and the Biological Diversity Act. A dispute only about the Wild Life (Protection) Act, or about town planning on its own, usually belongs elsewhere.
Are you within time? Count from the date the cause of action first arose, or the date the order was communicated to you. If you are late, the delay must be explained honestly in a separate application.
Have you tried the regulator? The Tribunal often asks whether a complaint was made to the pollution board first. A dated complaint, and the lack of action on it, strengthens your case.
What a good NGT filing contains
A short, clear statement of facts in date order. The specific law or rule being broken, with the standard that is being exceeded. Documents for every important fact, not just assertions. The relief you want, stated precisely, for example a joint inspection, closure of an outlet or compensation for a named loss.
Photographs should be dated and located. Test reports carry more weight if the sample was taken by the board or an accredited laboratory. Where you do not have test data, ask the Tribunal to direct the board to inspect; it often does.
| Filing | Section | Time limit | Typical relief |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | 14 | 6 months (+60 days) | Inspection, directions, closure of outlets |
| Compensation claim | 15 | 5 years (+60 days) | Compensation, restoration of environment |
| Appeal | 16 | 30 days (+60 days) | Setting aside or changing the order |
| Execution | 25 and 26 | After the order | Enforcement as a civil court decree, penalty for non-compliance |
How the filing works
Collect the record
Orders, complaints, photographs, reports and proof of the date you received the order.
Draft the case
Facts, grounds, documents and the precise relief, with a delay application if needed.
E-file
Filed online on the NGT portal with the court fee, and served on the respondents.
Scrutiny and listing
The registry checks the filing and lists it before the bench.
First hearing
The bench may issue notice, call for a report or appoint a joint committee.
Replies and final order
Respondents reply, reports are filed and the bench decides.
Documents that help
About the dispute
- Order or notice being challenged, with proof of the date it was received
- Earlier complaints and any replies
- Photographs and videos with dates
Evidence
- Test reports or monitoring data
- Consent, clearance or approval documents of the respondent, where available
- RTI replies
Formalities
- Identity proof and authority letter if filing for an RWA or company
- Affidavit supporting the application
How we work
We are a litigation and advisory practice led by Advocate BK Singh, with offices in Dwarka (New Delhi) and Vaishali (Ghaziabad), working on environmental matters across India.
- Deadline first: we tell you the time limit before anything else.
- Regulator and tribunal: we handle the board stage and the NGT, so nothing is lost between them.
- Plain advice: what we think will happen, including when a case is not worth filing.
- Written fee terms: agreed stage by stage, never linked to the outcome.
Related services
NGT litigation · Which bench hears your case · Appeal against a board order · Compensation for pollution damage · Pollution complaints
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file in the NGT without a lawyer?
Yes, a party can appear in person. In practice a lawyer helps with framing the relief, the documents and the time limit, which is where most self-filed cases run into trouble.
Is a letter to the NGT enough?
The Tribunal has taken up matters from letters and news reports on its own, but you cannot count on that. A properly filed application is the reliable route.
What if I am outside the 30-day appeal limit?
The Tribunal can allow up to 60 more days if you show sufficient cause. After 90 days in total, it has no power to condone the delay.
Can I ask for an interim order?
Yes. If damage is continuing, an interim application can ask for urgent directions, such as stopping a discharge until an inspection is done.
What does a joint committee do?
It is a team, usually of the pollution board, CPCB and the district administration, that inspects the site and reports to the Tribunal. Its report often decides the case, so it is important to engage with it.
Where does an appeal from the NGT go?
To the Supreme Court, within 90 days of the NGT order being communicated, under Section 22 of the NGT Act.
Thinking of filing in the NGT?
Send us the order or a short note of the problem. We will check the time limit and tell you if the NGT is the right forum.
This page gives general information about environmental law as it stood when it was last reviewed. It is not legal advice on your case and does not promise any result. Laws, rules and time limits change, so check the current position for your matter before acting.
Need help with Filing a Case or Appeal in the National Green Tribunal?
Send us the notice, the order or a few photos. We'll tell you where you stand, which authority or NGT bench deals with it and when the next step is due, in plain words.
