Environmental Law Clinic

Clinics

Environmental Law Clinic

The Environmental Law Clinic (ELC) is dedicated to addressing critical environmental and socio-legal issues through a blend of rigorous interdisciplinary research, policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and community outreach. Paving the way for a sustainable and equitable future lies at the heart of our mission.

One of the key objectives of ELC is to enable students to actively contribute by enrolling in specialized courses offered by the clinic or by working as paralegals on diverse projects. The clinic encourages a collaborative environment, empowering students to play a fundamental role in identifying spaces for harmony and intervention and to make substantive contributions to issues of environmental and climate justice. We aim to equip the next generation with the tools and knowledge they need to effect positive change and champion environmental and social justice causes.

At ELC, we’re not just observers – we’re active participants in the fight for environmental justice. With a keen eye on the latest developments and a thorough analysis of existing laws, regulations, and precedents, our team dives deep to uncover insights and identify areas ripe for legal intervention. Our work goes beyond the confines of academia. We offer immersive clinical programs spanning semesters and breaks, providing students with hands-on experience in environmental law and its real-world applications.

The ELC works on a collaborative model where we partner with national and international organisations such as universities, social enterprises, NGOs, and advocates who share our spirit. In all our offerings and collaborations, we are guided by our four core values: Environmental Stewardship, Environmental and Social Justice, Innovative Education, and Meaningful Collaboration.

Join us as we embark on a journey to make a lasting impact. Together, we can shape a world where sustainability and equity thrive hand in hand.

Work undertaken by the Environmental Law Clinic in 2023

Advocacy work

The clinic conducted a 2-day workshop on the “Role of PIL in Upholding the Rule of Law” on 7^th and 8^th February 2023. The workshop was attended by around 60 students and the guest speaker for the event was Advocate Sonal Tiwary. He is a practicing advocate at the Jharkhand High Court. He has previously worked as a State coordinator at the Human Rights Law Network and is currently working with Environics Trust. His work includes filing public interest litigation for the poor and marginalised on socio-legal issues. He also provides pro bono legal assistance to needy and marginalised communities in the State of Jharkhand. Currently, he is involved in a project with UNDP to create legal awareness in iron ore mining areas. Advocate Tiwary is also working with students of JGU on areas related to human rights and environmental law.
The clinic collaborated with NUJS Kolkata to prepare a report on “Environmental Impact and Regulation of Prawn Aquaculture in India”. The report is based on a field study undertaken by the faculty and students from both universities in the Sunderbans in 2023. The visit to Sunderbans allowed students to interact with the communities engaged in trade, along with fishermen and farmers.

Conferences/Webinars/Guest lectures

A Stakeholders’ Workshop cum Consultation was held on October 7^th -8^th 2023. This workshop served as a dynamic platform for engagement, fostering meaningful interactions between students and seasoned environmental lawyers. Throughout the semester, the course facilitated four rounds of consultations and sessions, featuring distinguished legal practitioners such as Adv. Ritwick Dutta, Adv. Shibani Ghosh, Barrister Krishnendu Mukherjee, Adv. Shantanu Chakraborty, Adv. Sonal Tiwary, Adv. Geetanjali, Adv. Vishal Sinha, Adv. Rashika Narain, among others. This collaborative exchange of insights aimed to provide students with a multifaceted understanding of environmental law in the Indian context.

Courses/ Summer and Winter Clinic/paralegals:

King’s College London, United Kingdom, Jindal Global Law School, and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata received the British Council Exploratory Grant for the creation of a transnational clinical legal education model on issues to raise awareness and seek remedies for climate change. The three institutions designed and executed over Spring 2023 a course titled- “Transnational Remedies for Environmental Harm with Clinical Legal Education”, with a focus on environmental issues in the Sunderbans.
During the Fall semester of 2023, a collaborative environmental law clinical course was conducted by Jindal Global Law School and West Bengal National University for Juridical Sciences. The primary focus of this course centered on exploring domestic environmental law remedies with the overarching goal of compiling a comprehensive handbook on the available remedies for environmental justice in India.

Publications

As an integral part of the course curriculum, students engaged in the development of a handbook describing the various remedies accessible for environmental justice in India. The envisioned handbook shall offer a comprehensive overview, detailing legal and administrative forums available to affected communities. These forums serve as crucial avenues through which diverse environmental remedies can be explored and implemented. As of the status update, the report stands at 75% completion. The text draft of the report is nearing completion for review. The forthcoming steps involve refining the report through design enhancements and additional detailing to ensure a polished and impactful final product.

Environmental Law Clinic