New Delhi:- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed to form a three-member committee of forest and wildlife officials to identify the violators, who had engaged in tree felling inside Uttarakhand’s Corbett Tiger Reserve.
NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel-headed bench, after hearing the submissions of Forest Sevice of India (FSI) Director General Anoop Singh, noted that illegality in cutting of trees is clearly acknowledged.
“Thus, accountability needs to be fixed for such violations and damage to the environment restored, following due process of law,” the bench said in a recent order.
The matter has been taken up suo motu by the Tribunal in the light of the media report that 600 trees have been illegally cut in Corbett Tiger Reserve of the Kalagarh Tiger Reserve division in Uttrakhand.
In the report by the FSI titled “Illegal felling of trees for the establishment of Pakhrau Tiger Safari, Uttarakhand,” it was submitted that the area of clear felling at different sites has been calculated using the GPS survey done by the GIS team of FSI and the Google Earth imagery. Asking the panel comprising Forest Department Director General, Wildlife Department Director General and Project Tiger Director General to identify the violators and the steps required for restoration of environment, the green court said its report with specific recommendations may be furnished to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, within one month and steps for further course of action in the matter be finalised within next one month.
“Till then the Project may not be allowed to proceed,” the tribunal clarified.