Forest department pulls up Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam for felling over 200 trees

“These sectors have dense vegetation lined with large varieties of trees. On July 9, while passing by the area, I noticed that a large number of trees had been chopped by maalis of the horticulture department, Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam. However, I did not pay heed to it at the time. On July 10, I again noticed trees being felled in the same location and one of the maalis called me stating that they were being forced by their supervisors to remove the timber lying on the spot,” Vashishtha said.

“When I reached the spot I did not find any transmission lines obstructed by the trees nor were they tilting towards the main road. I informed the forest department, Ghaziabad, of the same, who sent an official to the spot to ascertain what was happening, and filed a complaint. On July 11, the maalis again called me in the morning and I informed the forest department again who sent their officer to the spot. The officer asked the maalis and other staff to accompany them to the forest department for questioning,” he added.

According to the forest department, a case has been registered against officials of the horticulture department and proceedings have begun in the matter. “In an offence under the Uttar Pradesh Protection of Trees Act, 1976, if trees are felled without the requisite permissions, a complaint can be filed with the forest department which has the power to impose penalties,” said Ashutosh Pandey, sub-divisional officer, forest department Ghaziabad.

“In the given case a large number of trees were felled and we have registered a case under sections 4 (restriction on felling and removal of trees) and 10 (penalty for felling or removal of trees in contravention of Section 4) of the Uttar Pradesh Protection of Trees Act, 1976 Act, against the horticulture department, Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam. After the case was registered we began questioning the employees of the horticulture department involved in the felling,” Pandey added.

“The offence is bailable and compoundable and we have imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000. The horticulture department has been notified that if the penalty is not paid then the matter will be taken up before the appropriate court,” Pandey added.

Under section 4, “no person shall fell a tree standing on any land, or cut, remove or dispose of any tree”; apart from trees which are completely dead or have fallen without human intervention. As per section 10, the punishment for contravention of section 4 is “imprisonment which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both”.

Incidentally, the Uttar Pradesh Protection of Trees Act, 1976, section 13, empowers a forest officer (not below the rank of a forest ranger or a police officer) to make arrests without a warrant, if he has a reason to believe that any offence under the Act has been committed. The Act further empowers the forest officer to seize goods (including timber from trees felled illegally) as well as the power to compound offences, under section 14.

Officials at the horticulture department said that they were not aware of any such incidence of tree felling or case. “We are not aware of any case registered against the department at the moment. However, if and when it comes to our knowledge we will take action against those responsible,” said Dr Anuj Singh, horticulture in-charge, Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam.

“To my knowledge trees were felled in the area so that they do not cause an obstruction to traffic, and trimming of overgrown trees happens at regular intervals. If the trees have been felled in large numbers without permission, then we will take action,” Singh added.