The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata has inaugurated its first dedicated Child Play Area, in what it described as a first-of-its-kind initiative across NGT benches. The facility was inaugurated on 15 January 2026, and is aimed at providing a child-friendly space within the Tribunal premises.²

What Does It Mean

First of its kind facility, the dedicated child play area in an NGT Bench was inaugurated by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, the Chairperson of the NGT. It is designed specifically for children aged roughly 3–10 years and offers a safe, hygienic, educational and recreational space within the tribunal premises.

The child play area is intended to make the NGT workplace more inclusive and supportive, particularly for working parents and women employees. It aligns with the Palna Scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, a national initiative aimed at supporting child care needs of working women.

While the NGT’s core mandate is environmental justice, this initiative reflects increasing judicial attention towards more humane and gender-sensitive institutional practices. The facility also adheres to provisions such as the Maternity Benefit Act (as amended), which mandates certain child care provisions for workplaces, especially for women.

The initiative would provide practical support to employees and help address, to some extent, the challenges associated with child care. It sends a symbolic signal about institutional culture, demonstrating that even environmental tribunals can embed inclusive workplace norms. Further, it may serve as an example for other courts and regulatory bodies or institutions to adopt similar child-friendly practices.

This child-friendly facility represents an auxiliary but important development. It does not alter the tribunal’s core mandate; rather, it aligns the institution with workplace welfare norms found in labour and child development policies.