Gadgil report: Green Tribunal rejects Kerala's plea

NEW DELHI: Kerala's contention to dismiss the Goa Foundation plea to implement the recommendations of the Madhav Gadgil Committee report on the preservation of ecosystem of the Western Ghats was dismissed by the National Green Tribunal here on Friday. Tribunal chairperson Justice Swathandar Kumar decided to hear the argument put forward by the Goa Foundation.

Krishnan Venugopal and standing counsel Joji Zackariah, who appeared for Kerala, argued that the petition filed by the Goa Foundation is not valid with the Tribunal. Kerala argued that the report of Madhav Gadgil is only advisory in nature and hence the Tribunal does not have the authority to give directions to the state based on this. In order to give directions, it has to be passed as laws.

But the National Green Tribunal dismissed all these arguments.

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