India has created a “green tribunal” to address environmental harms. The National Green Tribunal, which has been operating since July 2011, was established for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources. The Tribunal may provide relief and compensation to victims of pollution and other environmental damage, for restitution of property damaged, and for restitution of the environment. The objective of the Tribunal is to provide speedy environmental justice and help reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts, through its dedicated jurisdiction in environmental matters.
According to World Wildlife Fund India (WWF India), the Tribunal from its inception until March 2014 has adjudicated 393 cases, and WWF India has observed that the Tribunal has “delivered a number of significant judgments on range of issues from across the country. This Tribunal is therefore an important step in the access to justice on matters concerning the environment and its mandate is much wider than earlier environmental Courts and Authorities and other such Courts.”
See the Tribunal’s website: http://envfor.nic.in/rules-regulations/national-green-tribunal-ngt; also WWF India’s website: http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/enablers/cel/national_green_tribunal