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Canal widening: NGT notice to govt, depts on tree axing

Taking cognisance of the issue of severe damage to environment and killing of wildlife, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the respondents, including the state of Punjab through the Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Regional Officer,...
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Hundreds of trees in the forest area have been ‘illegally cut’. file photo
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Taking cognisance of the issue of severe damage to environment and killing of wildlife, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the respondents, including the state of Punjab through the Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Regional Officer, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Department of Forest and Wildlife Conservation, District Forest Officer of Ludhiana, Executive Engineer of Ropar Canal and Groundwater Division and Doraha SHO to file their responses through an affidavit at least one week before the next date of hearing through e-filing.

If any respondent directly files the reply without routing it through his advocate, then the said respondent will remain virtually present to assist the tribunal. The applicant is directed to serve the respondents and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next date of hearing, the NGT issued directions.

In the original application, the applicant had stated that the project of widening and lining of side slopes of the Sirhind canal had been started by respondent Department of Water Resources, Punjab, without obtaining any environmental clearance in terms of EIA notification, 2006. Hundreds of trees in the forest area had been illegally cut and illegal mining in the forest area was being carried out by the state of Punjab through related directions to the Principal Secretary, Department of Water Resources, and Executive Engineer of Ropar Canal and Groundwater Division.

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The applicant alleged that the respondents had caused damage to flora and fauna by illegally setting up and operating a batching plant and by illegally reducing forest area and stacking up the material in that area. The applicant has also alleged that two rat snakes, protected under Schedule-1 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, had been killed and that illegal mining was being done in alleged connivance with certain officials of the Department of Water Resources from the bed of the canal.

The NGT has asked a joint committee comprising a representative of the PCCF, Mohali, RO, MoEF & CC, Chandigarh, representative of Member Secretary, CPCB, and District Magistrate, Ludhiana, to visit the site, ascertain the extent and number of trees that have been illegally cut and also the truth in the allegation of illegal mining from the canal bed and violation of environmental norms and ascertain the status of requisite environmental clearances and submit the report before it within six weeks.

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