NGT seeks report on felling of 122,000 trees for road along Upper Ganga Canal

The forest officials have already said that compensatory afforestation for the trees/shrubs felled will be carried out in Lalitpur district

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a Hindustan Times report about how the Uttar Pradesh government’s forest department has given its nod for felling of more than 100,000 trees and shrubs in the protected forests of three forest divisions — Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar — for the construction of two lanes of the 111km Kanwar Marg, along the Upper Ganga Canal, from Muradnagar in Ghaziabad to Purkaji in Muzaffarnagar district, near the Uttarakhand border

Tress seen around the Upper Ganga Canal in Ghaziabad as on Friday, the NGT has also sought reports from respondents and they are to be submitted before the tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing on May 20. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The tribunal’s principal bench while hearing the suo motu petition, impleaded officials of Uttar Pradesh and also of Uttarakhand as respondents in the case.

“This OA (original application) has been registered suo motu on the basis of the news item titled “UP gives permission to fell 112000 trees for road along Upper Ganga Canal” appearing in ‘Hindustan Times’ dated February 1, 2024. The news item raises the issue relating to the decision of Uttar Pradesh Government to fell more than 1 lakh trees and shrubs in the protected forest area of three forest divisions - Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar for construction of two lanes of 111 kms Kanwar Marg from Muradnagar to Purkaji near Uttarakhand border,” the tribunal said in its order on March 13.

The order also recorded the submission made by Bhanwar Pal Singh Jadon, advocate appearing for respondents, department of forests (UP) and district magistrates of Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar, and submitted that “all due permissions were taken and the actual felling/cutting of trees is only to the extent of about 33,000.”

To this, the tribunal directed, “He is permitted to file a detailed report disclosing the type and number of trees which are cut or proposed to be cut, the requisite permission by the competent authorities and the measures for compensatory afforestation.”

The officials of the forest department have already said that compensatory afforestation for the trees/shrubs felled will be carried out in Lalitpur district, about 550km away from Ghaziabad.

During the course of the hearing, Rajan Kumar Chourasia, advocate appearing for respondent, regional office of ministry of environment, forest and climate change, submitted that “the report is being prepared and will be filed before the tribunal.”

The NGT has also sought reports from respondents and they are to be submitted before the tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing on May 20.

When contacted, Ghaziabad district magistrate Indra Vikram Singh said he is yet to receive the copy of the order.

“Once we get the order copy, we will act accordingly,” Singh added.

The ₹658-crore project is to be taken up by the UP public works department (PWD), and will be funded by the state government. This road, officials said, will serve as a bypass for light vehicles, and will be an alternate route for Kanwariyas travelling to and from Haridwar during the annual Kanwar Yatra.

One side of the Upper Ganga Canal already has a metalled road on the eastern embankment of the canal, and the two new lanes is proposed will run along the western embankment, said officials.

But pilgrims mostly use the Delhi-Meerut Road and this forces authorities to shut down the busy road during the Kanwar season.

The project involves UP public works department and UP forest department. According to the officials, the entire project requires about 222.98 hectares of protected forest land, including 24.7 hectares in Ghaziabad, 84.6 hectares in Meerut and 113.68 in Muzaffarnagar.

The figures also indicate that about 16,873 trees/shrubs will be felled for the project in Muzaffarnagar, 666,85 in Meerut and about 291,64 in Ghaziabad.

Environmentalists have decried the move to fell such a large number of trees and said it will adversely affect the biodiversity in the region.

“The court has taken cognisance of the report and this brings to light issues like loss of greenery, damage to biodiversity and also the fact that destruction of trees would not help in reducing the high levels of air pollution. One side road is already metalled adjacent to the Upper Ganga Canal and this can be used as an alternate Kanwar route, if properly enforced,” said Akash Vashishtha, an environment lawyer.