The National Green Tribunal has recently instructed the Survey of India to submit satellite images of the upper Ganga canal stretch to determine the extent of tree felling for a road construction project in Uttar Pradesh, intended for the ‘kanwar’ yatra.
During the month of Sawan, starting July 22, pilgrims walk to Haridwar in Uttarakhand to collect Ganga water for Shiva temples.
What NGT Says?
The NGT has also directed UP authorities to prevent any illegal tree felling.
The tribunal is addressing claims of over 1 lakh trees and shrubs being cut in protected forest areas across Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar for the construction of a 111-km Kanwar Marg from Muradnagar to Purkaji near the Uttarakhand border.
The NGT took suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report revealing that the UP government permitted the felling of 1.12 lakh trees for the road along the upper Ganga canal. An intervening application was later filed by three individuals.
A 3 members bench led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted the allegations. The assistant solicitor general and additional advocate general for UP stated that efforts were made to minimize tree felling by reducing the road’s width in some areas.
“To ascertain the correct position, we direct the Survey of India to file the satellite image of the stretch under consideration showing the extent of trees which have been cut on both sides of the canal,” said the bench, also comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel.
What Order Says?
In its July 8 order, the bench acknowledged the claim of “illegal felling of trees in the garb of widening the road” and directed state authorities to ensure no illegal tree cutting occurs beyond the permitted width of 20/15 meters for the proposed road.
Akash Vashishtha, counsel for the intervenors, emphasized the indiscriminate tree cutting. He argued that “The water, irrigation, and environmental needs of the people living in areas along the upper Ganga canal cannot be sacrificed for a road meant for Kanwar pilgrims for just 15 days in a year.”
He added, “There are three other major roads leading to Haridwar. What is the need for another road? The existing road on the left bank of the canal can serve the Kanwar Yatra purpose. It’s shorter in distance too.”
On May 31, the tribunal noted a report by Uttarakhand’s public works department, which did not clarify if a connecting road needed to be constructed in Uttarakhand to link the UP road with Haridwar. The state’s counsel confirmed no such road was being constructed.
The matter is scheduled for further proceedings on July 25.
