No move for fast track courts for environmental disputes

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) The government today denied that it was considering a proposal to set up fast track courts to settle environmental disputes.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Law and Justice K Venkatapathy said the Law Commission, in its 186th report, had recommended setting up of Environment Courts for dealing with environmental disputes, besides having appellate jurisdiction in respect of appeals under the various pollution control laws.

The minister said the recommendations of the Law Commission to establish Environment Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of civil cases, where a substantial question of environment protection is involved, had been accepted.

He said these recommendations had been accepted with certain modifications.

Replying to another query, Mr Venkatapathy said the Centre had not received any proposal from the Orissa government for setting up of a bench of the High Court in the western part of the state.

UNI