TN Green Committee reconstituted

CHENNAI: The State Green Committee (SGC) has been reconstituted by incorporating environmental experts and civil society groups, TN government recently informed the Madras High Court. The submission was made before a division bench of Justices T Raja and S Sounthar when a petition filed by A Radhakrishnan, an activist, seeking orders to the government to form a committee consisting of all experts to preserve trees came up for hearing.

The government revised the SGC by issuing a G.O dated April 7, 2022.  Now, the SGC consists of  various members including experts from environmental and civil society groups, the bench recorded in a recent order.  The petitioner, Radhakrishnan, who appeared party in person before the court, submitted that experts from civil society groups were made members of District Green Committees but not SGC. 

Unless environmental experts and civil society members are incorporated in SGC, its purpose would not be served. He also pointed out unless the Chief Secretary is made head of SGC, which has eight department secretaries as members, there would not be proper coordination.