Sun Nov 10 11:57:39 UTC 2024: ## Kanwar Yatra Construction Under Scrutiny: NGT Orders Uttar Pradesh to Explain Tree Felling
**New Delhi, November 10, 2024:** The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to explain the felling of over 17,600 trees in three districts for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra route. The tribunal is investigating allegations that over one lakh trees were cut in protected forest areas across Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar.
A Joint Committee, formed to assess the situation, submitted an interim report revealing that 17,607 trees had been felled by August 9, 2024, despite a previously approved limit of 33,776 trees.
The NGT has ordered the state to clarify if the number of felled trees complies with the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Protection of Trees Act. The Additional Chief Secretary of the Environment Department has been instructed to file an affidavit within two weeks detailing the number of trees that will be felled during the route’s construction.
The NGT also highlighted concerns regarding the width of the cleared area, demanding clarification on whether any trees were cut beyond the permitted 15-20 meter width.
The tribunal has directed the Surveyor General of India to conduct a drone survey to identify the extent of tree felling on both sides of the canals, aiming to compare the current situation with satellite imagery from 2023. The matter will be heard again on November 25th.
First Piper 