NGT Forms High-Powered Committee To Probe Alleged Illegal Tree Cutting For Ganga Canal Widening

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a high-powered committee to investigate the cutting of 112,000 trees for the widening of the Ganga canal track between Ghaziabad and Muzaffarnagar. The committee includes the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, the Environment Director, the District Magistrate of Meerut, and a Senior Scientist. The NGT will hold the next hearing on August 16.

The committee will determine whether authorities obtained the necessary permissions before cutting the trees and if they cut more trees than allowed. Allegations indicate that while the NGT permitted tree cutting within a 15-meter wide area for construction, workers have cut trees up to 30 meters wide.

The NGT launched this probe after SP MLA Atul Pradhan filed a petition, claiming illegal tree cutting under the guise of road construction. The committee will conduct a thorough investigation and submit its report to the NGT, which will take further action based on the findings.

In response to these concerns, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has requested an investigation report from the Chief Secretary. Officials fear that even 100-year-old trees may have been cut. The NGT’s formation of the committee has caused concern among the officials directly or indirectly involved in this matter.

Authorities have registered a case against the contractor responsible for the tree cutting. The contractor informed the Chief Secretary, who visited the site on the Chief Minister’s orders, that he received no clear instructions on where and how many trees to cut. He claimed that no officers inspected the site, and his only responsibility was to cut the trees and deliver them to the forest department. He stated that the rest of the responsibility lies with the officers.

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