New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has directed the Survey of India to file satellite images of the stretch on upper Ganga canal to find the extent of trees cut for the ongoing construction of a road in Uttar Pradesh for the ‘kanwar’ yatra.
Under the yatra, during the month of Sawan, which begins on July 22, pilgrims walk to Haridwar in Uttarakhand to collect water from the Ganga river and bring it back to be offered in Shiva temples.
The tribunal directed the authorities in UP to ensure that there was no illegal felling of trees.
The NGT was hearing a matter regarding the alleged felling of more than 1 lakh trees and shrubs in the protected forest area across three forest divisions of Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar for the construction of two lanes of 111-km Kanwar Marg from Muradnagar (Ghaziabad district) to Purkaji (Muzaffarnagar district) near Uttarakhand border.
The tribunal had registered a suo motu (on its own) a case based on a newspaper report, which revealed that the UP government had given its permission for felling 1.12 lakh trees for the road along the upper Ganga canal. Later an intervening application was filed by three people.
A three-member bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava took note of the allegations.
On their part, the assistant solicitor general and additional advocate general for the state of UP said efforts were taken to minimise the felling of trees by reducing the width of the road at some places.
“To ascertain the correct position, we direct the Survey of India to file the satellite image of the stretch under consideration showing the extent of trees which have been cut on both sides of the canal,” said the bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel.
In its order passed on July 8, the bench took note of the allegation that there was “illegal felling of trees in the garb of widening of the road” and said, “We direct that the state authorities will ensure that no illegal felling of tree takes place beyond the permission/decision of 20/15 metres width of the proposed road.” During the proceedings, Akash Vashishtha, the counsel for the three intervenors, underlined that there was an indiscriminate cutting of trees.
“The water, irrigation and environmental needs of the people living in areas along the upper Ganga canal cannot be sacrificed at the altar of a road meant to be constructed for Kanwar pilgrims for just 15 days in a year,” he said.
“There are three other major roads leading to Haridwar. What is the need of another road? The road existing on the left bank of the canal can easily serve the purpose of Kanwar Yatra. It’s shorter in distance also,” he added.
On May 31, the tribunal, after noting the report by Uttarakhand’s public works department, observed that it was not clear if a stretch of road had to be constructed in Uttarakhand to connect the road being constructed in UP with Haridwar.
It noted the submission of the state’s counsel, according to which no such connecting road was being constructed.
The matter has been posted on July 25 for further proceedings. PTI MNR VN VN
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