Now Reading: NGT orders Haryana chief secretary to explain tree law delay
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NGT orders Haryana chief secretary to explain tree law delay
The National Green Tribunal has directed Haryana's chief secretary to file an affidavit detailing steps taken toward enacting the Haryana Tree Preservation Act, 2026, to regulate tree felling in non-forest areas. The…
The Story in Brief
The National Green Tribunal has directed Haryana's chief secretary to file an affidavit detailing steps taken toward enacting the Haryana Tree Preservation Act, 2026, to regulate tree felling in non-forest areas. The order came during a hearing on alleged large-scale tree cutting in Gurugram between November 2024 and November 2025. According to the forest department's report, 12,587 trees were felled against 389 permissions sought for 17,852 trees.
NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava remarked that authorities were not listening to environmental needs and that the conduct was affecting the national capital region. Expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad questioned the state's reliance on individual farmers for compensatory plantations, noting no guarantee that farmers would maintain them after five years. The tribunal also noted Haryana had not fully complied with interim regulatory orders. The matter is listed for October 30.
The Indian Opinion
The usual game is playing out: states draft laws, hold meetings, then wait. Haryana's Tree Preservation Act has been in the pipeline for months, yet trees keep falling in Gurugram. The NGT chairperson's remark, that either project proponents are too strong or authorities too weak, cuts to the chase. Compensatory plantations on private land with no guarantee of survival is not a solution. The test will be whether the chief secretary's affidavit, due in two weeks, offers a firm deadline for enactment, not another meeting.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
