NGT building shut after Covid-19 Positive Case

On Friday, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) building complex was shut after an official posted in the Court’s Administrative Section tested positive for Covid-19.

According to a notification issued by the Tribunal, the official, who was posted in the general administration section of the principal bench, had attended office on May 19 & was hospitalised after testing positive on Friday. This is the first Covid-19 positive case to be reported from inside the NGT complex.

A notification released by the Green Court reads, “All necessary protocols are being followed. Contact tracing is in progress & high risk contacts shall be asked to self quarantine for 14 days. The NGT premises shall remain under deep sanitization & with effect from May 23, no officer, staff, lawyers, litigants, & public shall be permitted to have access to NGT (principal bench) premises".

The notification said that a decision on the reopening of the Court will be taken on May 25 after the entire premise is disinfected & contacts of the officials are traced. This will be done only as per the advice of the health authorities, the Green Court said in the statement.

The Tribunal had earlier issued instructions regarding its functioning stating that the chairperson, members & officers (deputy registrars rank & above) will attend office with 100 per cent attendance.

The NGT had said that for the remaining, up to 33 per cent of the staff will be required to physically attend office as separately notified from time to time.

According to the office order issued by the Tribunal, the section heads were ordered to prepare rosters of staff required to attend office physically by rotation & the staff members & list staff not required to be present physically at the office.

It had said that only online filing (e-filing) of cases will be allowed & no physical filing is permitted for now. 

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