under Section 144 CrPC. This was a prelude to the organized activities which took place in the month of May 2022, as recorded in the statements appended to the report of the DLSA. The affidavit of the Joint Secretary to the State government has been rather liberal with the truth by suppressing the actual state of facts. 15. Paragraph 2 of the notification dated 14 September 2006 requires prior Environmental Clearance “before any construction work or preparation of land by the project management is carried out except for the securing of land”. The nature of the activities which were carried out at the site was evidently of an extensive nature and is in breach of paragraph 2 of the notification. 16. There was a complete abdication of adjudicatory duties by the NGT to verify the authenticity of the grievance of the appellants. As an expert body which has been formed under a statute enacted by the Parliament, in the interest of the preservation of the environment, it was first and