New Delhi, Apr 29 (IANS): The National Green Tribunal has directed its zonal benches--Kolkata, Pune, Chennai to constitute special benches from May 2 to clear the pending cases instituted up to December 31, 2017.

In the fresh directive, the green court also issued a schedule for hearing such matters through the hybrid option.

The Eastern zonal bench of Kolkata will hear the matters every working Monday or any other day decided by the competent authority. The western zonal bench of Pune will follow Tuesday, Wednesday, or any other day as per the authority's decision, while the Southern Zonal bench of Chennai will have such hearings on Thursday, Friday, or any other day as decided there, said an NGT notice of April 27.

The matters of the principal bench and the matters of the respective bench will continue to be heard on these days after the hearing of the Special benches which starts from 10.30 a.m. onwards.

However, the practice of listing the matters of the concerned zonal benches before a special bench on every working Monday once in a month in terms of notice dated September 6, 2021, shall be discontinued, it said.

No request for adjournment will be entertained, read the notice, adding that however, in special circumstances, adjournment may be granted for a period not beyond one week before listing.