Plea for de-concretisation of trees: NGT asks petitioner to approach forest department

The National Green Tribunal has asked a petitioner to approach the Forest Department with his plea seeking proper implementation of its directions on de-concretisation of areas around trees and removing advertisements around them.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the petitioner, an advocate by profession, to file a proper petition instead of writing a letter to the NGT in case of any grievance.

"The applicant can pursue his remedy before the Department and if aggrieved take an appropriate legal remedy. An advocate has no handicap in filing a proper petition as per rules instead of sending a letter to this tribunal," the bench said.

The tribunal was hearing a plea by Delhi resident Aditya N Prasad, a lawyer, who alleged that the tribunal's directions have not been complied with by the forest department.

The NGT had earlier in April, 2013 directed all authorities concerned to ensure that "all the sign boards, names, advertisements, any kind of boards or signages, electric wires and high tension cables or otherwise are removed from the trees forthwith".

It had also asked all agencies to "ensure that the concrete surrounding the trees within one metre of the trees are removed forthwith and all the tree are looked after well and due precaution is taken in future so that no concrete or construction or repairing work is done at least within one metre radius of the trunk of trees".