Tribunal directs Delhi govt to file status report on illegal tree felling in Chhatarpur

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi government to file a status report regarding the illegal felling of trees and encroachment on forest land in south Delhi's Chhatarpur area.

The green body was hearing a plea claiming illegal tree cutting across several khasra numbers in Chhatarpur's Ambedkar Colony. It claimed that a private individual cut the trees at night, violating the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that a joint committee formed earlier by the tribunal had submitted its report.


In an order dated July 21, the bench said, "The report of the joint committee discloses that though khasra number 60 falls under Abadi land, khasra numbers 100, 101, 102, 103 and 105 are classified as forest land; the said report also discloses that as many as 28 trees of different species including neem, pipal, siris etc, have been illegally cut, and that no permission for felling of trees was granted by the tree office, South Delhi."

It said, according to the counsel for the Delhi government, "action is being initiated to prosecute the persons responsible for encroaching upon the forest land".

The tribunal then directed the Delhi government to file a status report within six weeks.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on September 29.