In Brief
The Supreme Court set aside orders of the National Green Tribunal that imposed compensation in ex parte suo motu proceedings without giving affected parties a hearing. The Tribunal had relied solely on a joint inspection report and rejected a subsequent review petition without proper consideration. The Court held that procedural fairness and natural justice must be observed, even in environmental cases. It criticized the Tribunal's pattern of unilateral decision-making and routine dismissal of review petitions, finding them counterproductive to environmental protection. The matter was remanded for the Tribunal to issue notices to all parties and conduct a full hearing before passing orders.
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