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NGT Allows Air Quality Panel's Impleadment, Seeks Replies from Centre & States

The National Green Tribunal has allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management to be added as a respondent in an ongoing environmental case. The Tribunal granted four weeks to the Ministries of Power and Environment, as well as the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, to file their replies. It noted that the Ministry of Environment has already submitted an additional response. The case will now be heard next on May 18, 2026.

Key Points: NGT Impleads CAQM in Air Quality Case, Seeks Govt Replies

  • NGT allows impleadment of air quality body
  • Grants 4 weeks to Centre, states for replies
  • MoEF&CC has already filed response
  • Next hearing scheduled for May 18, 2026
2 min read

NGT allows impleadment of CAQM in air quality matter; seeks replies from Centre, states

NGT permits adding CAQM as respondent, grants time to Centre, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh to file replies in ongoing air pollution matter. Next hearing May 2026.

"permitted the applicant's oral request to implead CAQM through its Member Secretary - Tribunal Order"

New Delhi, March 19

The National Green Tribunal Principal Bench in New Delhi on March 18 passed directions in an ongoing environmental matter, allowing the impleadment of the Commission for Air Quality Management and granting time to various respondents to file their replies.

The bench, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava along with Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad, permitted the applicant's oral request to implead CAQM through its Member Secretary.

The Tribunal directed that the cause title be amended accordingly and instructed the applicant to serve the newly added respondent, along with filing an affidavit of service at least one week before the next hearing.

During the hearing, it was noted that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had already filed an additional reply dated March 17, 2026. Meanwhile, counsel appearing for the Ministry of Power and the Central Electricity Regulatory Authority sought time to obtain instructions and file their responses, which the Tribunal granted, allowing four weeks for submission.

Similarly, the States of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh also requested additional time to file their replies, and the Tribunal granted them four weeks to do so. The applicant was given two weeks thereafter to file a rejoinder to the response submitted by MoEF&CC.

The Tribunal further observed that the affidavit of service had not yet been placed on record, making it unclear whether all respondents had been duly served. In this regard, the applicant's counsel was permitted to verify the status of service and take fresh steps to serve any unserved respondents.

The matter has now been listed for further hearing on May 18, 2026.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good move by NGT. But why are states like Rajasthan and MP always asking for more time? Air pollution doesn't wait for bureaucratic delays. We need a unified, time-bound action plan across all northern states.
S
Sarah B
As someone living in Gurgaon, the AQI readings are terrifying for my kids. I'm glad the tribunal is pushing for replies, but the hearing is in May 2026? That's over two years away! The urgency seems lost.
V
Vikram M
Including the Commission for Air Quality Management makes sense. But the real test is enforcement. We have great policies on paper, but implementation at the ground level is where we fail. Hope this time it's different.
R
Rohit P
The article mentions the Ministry of Power and CERC. This is key. Thermal power plants are a major polluter. Unless we have a solid plan to transition to cleaner energy and enforce emission norms, these hearings are just a formality.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, while the NGT's direction is welcome, the pace is frustrating. "Affidavit of service not on record"... "granted four weeks"... the process itself is so slow. For a public health emergency, we need special fast-track environmental benches.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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