NGT notice to CPCB, Bihar authorities over rise in lightning deaths due to felling of palm trees

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and others in a matter related to the large-scale felling of palm trees in Bihar which is reportedly causing an increase in lightning-related deaths.

The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report on alleged widespread cutting of palm trees that is directly linked to a sharp increase in lightning-related fatalities, with over 2,000 lives lost since 2016 in Bihar.

In an order dated June 5, a bench of NGT's judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel said, "According to the article, dozens of towering palm trees are being felled, leading to more frequent lightning strikes that result in deaths." According to the report, after the ban on toddy tapping due to Bihar's prohibition policy, palm trees lost their economic value and have since been widely cut down. This ecological loss appeared to have made rural areas more vulnerable to lightning strikes, with the state recording over 2,000 lightning-related deaths since 2016.

"The article states that the number of lightning deaths began to rise following the rampant felling of palm trees. The worst-affected districts include Aurangabad, Patna, Nalanda, Kaimur, Rohtas, Bhojpur and Buxar. Most lightning-related deaths occur between 12:30 and 4:30 pm, when many people are outside for work," the NGT said, citing the report.

It further noted that the area under palm tree cultivation in the state had decreased by 40 per cent and that plantation of the trees had almost stopped.

"The matter seems to attract the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act," it said.

The tribunal impleaded CPCB, Bihar State Pollution Control Board, regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Bihar Disaster Management Department as parties or respondents.

"Let notices be issued to the respondents for filing their response/reply," the NGT said, listing the matter for further proceedings on August 7 before the eastern zonal bench in Kolkata.