New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has formed a panel and asked it to submit a report regarding the alleged illegal felling of trees in Madhya Pradesh.
The NGT also sought a response from several authorities, including the state of MP, and directed the state’s top forest officer to submit a report about the action taken against the “delinquent officers” who were responsible for the illegality.
The green body was hearing a letter petition that alleged illegal cutting of more than 1,242 trees, including teak and satkata, in the Narmadapuram forest division of Madhya Pradesh.
It claimed that the logs of the illegally cut trees were worth over Rs 2.4 crore.
In an order dated January 17, a bench of judicial member Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member A Senthil Vel said that an inspection report of the “competent officer” dated September 14 last year revealed that the trees were illegally cut, causing an estimated loss of more than Rs 2.4 crore to the state exchequer.
“A substantial issue of the environment has been raised,” the tribunal said, impleading as respondents or parties, authorities, comprising the state of MP through the district magistrate of Narmadapuram, member secretary, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), commissioner of the Narmadapuram municipal corporation, divisional forest officer and the chief conservator of forests.
It said, “Issue notice to the respondents, returnable within four weeks.” Underlining the “seriousness” of the matter, the tribunal also formed a joint committee comprising representatives from the state’s principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), the principal secretary, environment department, Bhopal regional offices of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Central Pollution Control Board and the member secretary of MPPCB.
“The committee is directed to visit the site and examine the matter, and thereafter submit the factual and action taken report within four weeks. The state PCB will be the nodal agency for coordination and logistic support,” the tribunal said.
It directed the divisional forest officer and chief conservator of forest concerned to “submit a report with regard to the action taken against the delinquent officers and how the loss caused to the exchequer has been compensated and deposited in the state treasury”.
“The PCCF is also directed to examine the matter and ensure that action must be taken against the delinquent officers, and the loss caused to the state exchequer must be compensated by depositing the amount to the state exchequer by the official responsible and the profit gained due to the illegal sale of the trees,” the tribunal said.
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on April 20. PTI MNR NB
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