The National Green tribunal building complex was shut on Friday after an official posted in the court's administrative section tested positive for Covid-19.

According to a notification issued by the NGT, the official, who was posted in general administration section of the principal bench, had attended office on May 19 and was hospitalised after testing positive on Friday. This is the first Covid-19 positive case to be reported from inside the NGT complex.

"All necessary protocols are being followed. Contact tracing is in progress and high risk contacts shall be asked to self quarantine for 14 days. The NGT premises shall remain under deep sanitization and with effect from May 23, no officer, staff, lawyers, litigants, and public shall be permitted to have access to NGT (principal bench) premises," a notification released by the green court read.

The notification said that a decision on the reopening of the court will be taken on May 25 after the entire premise is disinfected and contacts of the officials are traced. This will be done only as per advice of the health authorities, the green court said in the statement.

The NGT had earlier issued instructions regarding its functioning stating that the chairperson, members and officers (deputy registrars rank and above) will attend office with 100% attendance.

For the remaining, up to 33% of the staff will be required to physically attend office as separately notified from time to time, the NGT had said.

According to the office order issued by the NGT, the section heads were ordered to prepare rosters of staff required to attend office physically by rotation and the staff members and list staff not required to be present physically at the office.

It had said that only online filing (e-filing) of cases will be allowed and no physical filing is permitted for now.

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