In an affidavit submitted by the government of Punjab in the National Green tribunal (NGT), the principal chief conservator of forests Kuldip Kumar has stated that 1.44 lakh trees have been felled across the state in eight months from the period of October 28, 2016 to June 16, 2017.
The government has also claimed that as part of compensatory afforestation, it has planted seven lakh saplings in the same period.
The tribunal has now ordered the government of Punjab to submit the details of the compensatory planting. It has asked government to submit khasra numbers (details of the land) where the saplings have been planted in the next hearing.
The government has submitted the affidavit in the case of Dr Amandeep Aggarwal vs state of Punjab and Peacock Environment & Wild Life Protection Society vs state of Punjab.
NGT in its orders dated July 10 this year had ordered government of Punjab to file the latest status report in relation to how many trees have been felled for different projects and what steps have been taken for afforestation.
Earlier, in its orders dated May 19 last year, NGT putting a blanket ban on felling of trees across Punjab had said that ‘state government shall not fell any trees till further orders.’
NGT said that ‘state of Punjab is restrained from felling and cutting of any tree in the entire state of Punjab without specific permission from the tribunal.’
These orders were challenged in the Supreme Court of India by different project proponents.
Then on October 28, 2016 the Supreme Court of India put a stay on NGT orders for four months saying that the ‘blanket ban on felling of trees placed by the tribunal cannot be allowed to adversely affect the ongoing works on the highway.’
The Supreme Court also allowed the government to execute the ongoing projects and suspended NGT orders for four months.
SC further extended the stay for two more months till June 17, 2017 in its orders dated April 18, 2017. NGT then sought details from the government asking that how many trees were felled and planted during the stay period of eight months.
The government now its affidavit has said, ‘It is submitted that abstract of trees felled in different projects during the stay of period till 17.6.2017 are 1,44,940. Regarding the steps taken for afforestation in the state, it is submitted that 7,04,968 seedlings have been planted till now in lieu of 1,44,940 number of trees felled in the above said period under compensatory afforestation scheme.’
Dr Aggarwal, who has filed plea in NGT against felling of trees, said that in earlier affidavit government had admitted felling nine lakh trees for various project from 2011 to 2016 and thus total comes to 10 lakh trees in around six years.
