NGT's Regional Environment Conference Calls For Stronger Biodiversity Protection And Waste-Management Reforms

The Regional Conference on Environment – 2025, organized by the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone Bench, Chennai, in collaboration with the Southern State Pollution Control Boards and Committees, was held on 6 December 2025 at Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai. The event was conducted under the leadership of Mr. Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, NGT, with the guidance of Mrs. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, Judicial Member, NGT, Southern Zone Bench.The Conference was inaugurated by Mr. Justice M.M. Sundresh, Judge, Supreme Court of India. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana opened the session with a welcome address. In his address, Justice Prakash Shrivastava emphasized that environmental protection is not merely a constitutional mandate under Articles 21, 48(A), and 51(A)(g), but also a shared moral responsibility. He highlighted that the NGT's initiatives extend beyond adjudication to creating awareness and guiding institutions toward sustainable environmental practices.Guest of Honour Mr. P. S. Raman, Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, stressed the need for strengthening environmental governance, quoting Hubert Reeves on human insanity and underscoring sustainable development. Mr. Thangam Thennarasu, Minister, Government of Tamil Nadu, spoke about the State's evidence-based environmental journey, noting Tamil Nadu's unique geographical identity and cultural ethos, and reaffirmed that environmental protection is deeply rooted in its tradition, ecological wisdom, and developmental priorities.Mr. Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, Chief Justice of the High Court of Madras and Guest of Honour, expressed concern over the alarming global decline in wildlife populations, referencing a WWF report indicating an almost 69% decrease in populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. He emphasized the need for preventive measures to safeguard humanity itself from becoming endangered, instead of relying only on judicial remedies.Mr. Justice Aravind Kumar, Judge, Supreme Court of India, highlighted the gap between “law on paper and life on the ground” and proposed the idea of “cooperative ecological federalism” among the southern states, suggesting that the conference could mark the beginning of a “Southern Environmental Compact.” Mr. Justice M.M. Sundresh, in his address, stressed the significance of traditional wisdom and shared personal experiences concerning communities affected by dyeing industry pollution, stating that “when the environment is impacted, the world gets affected.” He also emphasized the urgent need to protect coastal zones.Technical Session I: Environmental Law Enforcement & Biodiversity ConservationThe Technical Sessions addressed critical environmental challenges. The first session, chaired by Mr. Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque, Judge, High Court of Kerala, focused on Environmental Law Enforcement and Biodiversity Conservation. Justice Mustaque questioned whether existing laws adequately address issues such as E-waste pollution, adding that “something lawful cannot be harmless,” highlighting that legal activities may still cause environmental harm. He pointed out regulatory and town-planning deficiencies that overlook long-term environmental consequences.Dr. R. Nagendran, Former Expert Member, NGT, Southern Zone Bench, stressed the need for biodiversity-specific Environmental Impact Assessments and stronger coordination among regulatory agencies. Mr. Raghuram highlighted the implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and the NBA's initiatives to enhance benefit-sharing for native communities.Dr. Indumathi M. Nambi, Professor at IIT Madras, shared her experience on suo motu environmental cases, including the Ennore and Kanchipuram oil spills, pointing out challenges arising when expert committee reports are repeatedly returned for reconsideration.Technical Session II: Solid Waste and Biomedical Waste ManagementThe second session, chaired by Mr. Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, Judge, High Court of Madras, focused on Solid Waste and Biomedical Waste Management. Justice Chakravarthy cited the judgment delivered by Justice Suraj Govindaraj in WP 27475 of 2025, which encouraged the integration of technologies such as surveillance systems, performance scorecards, GIS-based route mapping, and robotic segregation of biomedical waste. He emphasized that cities must evolve into “Recycle and Recompose” ecosystems and referenced a study from Coimbatore that detected microplastics in human placenta, underscoring the urgency for systemic change. Dr. Justice P. Jyothimani, Former Judicial Member, NGT, and Former Judge of the High Court of Madras, questioned whether statutory waste-management targets have been achieved in India and remarked that non-compliance persists due to a lack of public intention. He stressed that unless rules are enforced strictly, progress will remain slow, emphasizing the importance of citizen awareness, responsibility, and education in waste management....

NGT's Regional Environment Conference Calls For Stronger Biodiversity Protection And Waste-Management Reforms

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