New Delhi: A National Green Tribunal-appointed committee has found out that the owner of a farm in Chhatarpur has illegally felled or damaged 28 trees in violation of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. The tree officer has asked the farm owner to plant 250 saplings as a compensation. The joint panel has recommended a fine of Rs 1 lakh for each felled tree. A resident of Chhatarpur filed a plea before NGT in Jan on the matter. The person wrote that he complained the forest department, which issued a restraining order in Oct last year. Despite that, the felling continued. The tribunal formed a committee of the deputy conservator of forests (south), a representative of the regional officer, ministry of environment and forests and climate change, Lucknow, and the district magistrate, South district. “The committee will visit the site, ascertain the extent of the trees cut and the persons responsible… and also ascertain if there was any valid permission for felling of those trees,” the tribunal said. In a report dated March 6, the DM said the committee inspected the site on Feb 13. It found that 28 trees were illegally felled, damaged, or some attempt was made to chop the tree “without obtaining permission under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act”. The committee said the farm owner was responsible and recommended the compensation. On the fine, it said: “The joint committee recommended imposition of a penalty of Rs 1 lakh per tree felled, as per the order issued by the Supreme Court of India.” The tree officer directed the planting of native species. “A letter dated Feb 9 was issued from this office to the station house officer, Mehrauli, seeking necessary assistance for conducting a detailed investigation,” the report said.
