New Delhi: Irked that Centre has failed to ensure vacancies in the top environment tribunal are filled, the Delhi high court wondered if the government wants to wind up NGT A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar expressed concern over the posts of judicial and expert members in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) falling vacant shortly, and sought a report from the government. HC demanded an explanation after it was informed that from December, only three judicial and two expert members would remain in the tribunal, reducing its strength amidst rising workload.“Would you like to wind up the National Green Tribunal?” the bench asked the government.The bench directed it to file a status report within two weeks and posted the plea for next hearing on September 14.HC’s poser came on a petition filed by lawyer Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeking filling up of vacancies in the NGT.Bansal in his plea alleged, “Due to the red-tapism involved in bureaucracy, a fine institution like the NGT is heading towards a premature death.”The court was also informed that on account of retirement of most of its members, two zonal benches of NGT would stop functioning by October, yet the government has failed to take steps to ensure the vacancies are filled.The petition said at present there are eight judicial members and six expert members in the NGT and with a few retirements due, the number of expert members would come down to two and by next year only three judicial members would be left in the panel.“The lackadaisical attitude and apathy of the government in not filling up the vacancies in the posts of judicial and expert members is intriguing and appalling,” the petition said.Taking note of the grim situation the court directed the Centre to file a status report within two weeks.