Face2News/Ludhiana

After submission of report by Forest Department to Hon’ble NGT, the members of Public Action Committee have once again approached the tribunal against the illegal Axing of trees in Ludhiana & other parts of State of Punjab with plea of directions to the Chief Secretary of Punjab for issuance of Policy.

Er. Kapil Arora & Kuldeep Singh Khaira informed that after directions by Hon’ble NGT in our case filed earlier, the Forest department has submitted the report which says that “Presently there is no legal provision or any mechanism in place with the respondent departments/institutions to penalize the offenders involved in illicit felling/lopping/pruning/pollarding of trees. Only remedy presently available with the respondent departments/ institutions is lodging of a police complaint/FIR for tree offences, whereas there is need for a legal enabling mechanism in place to impose fines and prosecute offenders in the court by the respective departments/institutions which will act as a deterrent to check these offences.

Dr. Amandeep Singh Bains & Er. Jaskirat Singh informed that since the incidents of illegal cutting of trees has increased in Punjab resulting into major loss to the Environment. Thus keeping in view of report submitted by Forest Department, we have once again filed the petition with plea of Regulatory Mechanism with provisions of Criminal Proceedings and Hefty Fine against the offenders.

Further, since there is record of number of trees in Ludhiana, we are seeking enumeration of trees coming within the jurisdiction of various development authorities including MCL, GLADA & LIT. It is pertinent to mention here that GLADA & LIT have wrongly submitted to Forest department that they have completed the enumeration work whereas no such activity has been done by them till date. Further MCL had submitted that the enumeration work will be completed by 31-12-2023 but it has not been even initiated till date.

We have produced all the facts before the Hon’ble NGT and we hope that soon directions in this regard with be issued to the Chief Secretary of Punjab by the Tribunal.

The Applicants further informed that with illegal axing of trees standing on Non-Forest Public Land in districts, the condition of Environment is getting deteriorated with time, thus is against directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court, Hon’ble Tribunal and Environment Laws and regulatory mechanism/ strict policy in this regard in need of the hour to save the Environment.