The National Green Tribunal's Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata, convened a hearing for Original Application No.38/2022/EZ (I.A. No.131/2022/EZ), featuring Dr. Bina Basnett versus the State of Sikkim & Ors. Presided over by Justice B. Amit Sthalekar and Arun Kumar Verma, the case seeks to address pressing environmental issues in the region.
Representatives from both sides, led by prominent legal figures, presented their arguments before the tribunal. Pratap Shankar and Dipankar Thakur appeared for the Applicant, while a cadre of legal professionals including Sameer Abhyankar, Mr. Kazi Sangay Thupden, Saumitra Jaiswal, Mansi Bachani, Gitanjali Sanyal, A. D. N. Rao, Sonali Sengupta, Amrita Pandey, Sanjay Upadhyay, and S. Gupta represented the Respondents.
During the proceedings, the tribunal accepted a counter affidavit dated 30.04.2024 submitted by Respondent No.10, Gangtok Municipal Corporation. Furthermore, Ms. Amrita Pandey, representing Respondent No.11, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), was granted a four-week extension for filing a counter affidavit.
Stating the importance of timely submissions, the tribunal urged all parties to complete their pleadings at least one week before the next hearing. It was underscored that any pending affidavits could be accessed through the National Green Tribunal portal.
The case has been adjourned until July 12, 2024, for further deliberation and hearing.