Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 30: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Government of J&K through the Chief Secretary for allegedly felling more than 1,000 trees in the village of Sonium Lalpora in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
The notice has also been issued to the Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla, Block Development Officer of Lalpora Tangmarg and other Government officers.
In addition to the felling of trees, the concerned departments are also under scrutiny for allowing the diversion of a local stream to make way for a playground in the village.
The matter came to light earlier when the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Lalpora and the then Sarpanch of Sonium village felled 1,000 trees and started diverting the Badyari stream for the playground project.
The land was leveled, and the stream was diverted, partly in violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969, and the National Water Policy, 2012.
Among the 1,000 trees felled were 600 willow trees, 300 poplar trees, 100 acacia and rubina trees, and 10 walnut trees.
It is important to note that the BDO Lalpora Baramulla had applied for a No Objection Certificate (NOC), which was declined by the Assistant Executive Engineer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department in a letter dated 23.02.2024.
The Assistant Executive Engineer directed the BDO Lalpora to immediately stop all unauthorized activities and restore the stream to its original position, but this was ignored.
The matter was finally taken up before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by noted RTI and Climate Activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat.
The case was listed before the NGT’s two-member bench, consisting of Justice A.K. Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Dr. Senthil Veil (Expert Member) on December 6.
Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, the petitioner in the case, told the NGT through his counsel, Advocate Rahul Chowdhury and Advocate Shreepuna Dasgupta, that he had submitted a representation dated 14.10.2024 to the concerned authorities, but no action had been taken.
“The averments made in the application raise questions relating to the environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010,” the order read.
It adds: “Notices, along with copies of the application and documents attached therewith, be issued to the respondents, requiring them to file their responses/replies to the allegations made in the application at least one week before the next date of hearing.”
“The applicant is directed to serve notices on the respondents by email as well as registered/speed post and to file an affidavit of service within 15 days. He is also directed to file tracking reports regarding notices sent by registered/speed post at least one week before the next date of hearing.”
Follow our WhatsApp channel
