NGT asks Environment ministry to report on illegal trees felling in Corbett

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to file an action-taken report on the alleged illegal felling of 6,000 trees in the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttrakhand's Kalagarh Tiger Reserve Division.

The green panel was hearing a matter in which it had initiated suo motu (on its own) proceedings based on a media report on the illegal felling of trees. The Forest Survey of India was asked to assess the status of illegally felled trees, the report had claimed.

A bench of Chairperson Justice A K Goel said that according to the report of an earlier constituted panel, the cutting of trees was illegal and the process of restoration required constructions made without the approval of the Centre to be removed. But the state government's principal secretary submitted that the construction does not require the Union government's approval.

The bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel, said, "...it appears difficult to accept the stand of the principal secretary However, we find that MoEF&CC (Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) has to finalise its own perception of the matter and file a report..."

"Accordingly, we direct the secretary, MoEF&CC, to file the action-taken report in the matter before the next date," the green panel said.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on July 19.