NGT Flags Illegal Tree Felling on Haryana Land

NGT Flags Illegal Tree Felling Religious Land Haryana

Why in the News?

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has found that trees were illegally felled on 40.34 hectares of forest land given to Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Haryana’s Panchkula, violating conditions that prohibited deforestation and construction. This incident highlights the challenges of balancing development with environmental conservation, a concern that extends to tourism projects in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond, including the development of the Chabahar port complex.

Illegal Tree Felling and Land Use:

• A NGT-appointed three-member committee investigated allegations of illegal felling on forest land in Panchkula, Haryana.
• The land, measuring 40.34 hectares, was originally handed over in 1998 for setting up a religious centre.
• At the time of transfer, the land contained 4,322 trees and 1,128 saplings of various species.
• The committee observed that natural tree species were cleared, and structures were constructed, altering the original forest layout.
• Such actions breach the transfer conditions and raise concerns about environmental degradation and forest protection compliance, issues that are also relevant to the development of ports like the Chabahar port, including the Shahid Beheshti port in Iran.

Transfer Conditions and Violations

• The Forest Department of Haryana had set strict conditions for the land transfer.
• The land was meant only for plantation of trees and prohibited any construction activities.
• NGT’s report noted that these conditions were violated by the religious outfit.
• The tribunal’s committee highlighted the need for corrective action to restore ecological balance.
• Violations point to gaps in monitoring and enforcement of forest land usage, a challenge that also affects the development of infrastructure projects like the Chabahar port and associated facilities such as natural gas pipelines.