NGT bars CISF from cutting trees in Shona's Mandawar village

The National Green Tribunal Thursday restrained the CISF from cutting trees till necessary permissions are obtained in Sohna's Mandawar village after a plea alleged that non-forest activities on 260 acres of forest land were being carried out without permission.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Haryana to submit a compliance report in the matter before September 25.

The bench, also comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member Nagin Nanda, passed the order after perusing a report filed by Haryana Principal Chief Conservator of Forests which said that CISF started works of site clearance and pruning of trees in the month of October 2019 without taking prior permission from the Divisional Forest Officer.

"Under Aravalli Project plantation area, no proposal under Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 has been submitted by CISF. It is not known whether the permission from the competent authority has been obtained under the provisions of the Aravalli Notification of 1992 or not since the issue is not under the ambit of the Forest Department but with Environment Department," the report said.

It said that the area purchased by CISF in the revenue estate of village Mandawar in Gurugram is 260.74 acres out of which 136.65 acres of area is under Aravalli Project Plantation, which is a forest area as per the order of Supreme Court and Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 would apply for its use for non-forestry purposes.

"Another 30.35 acres of land is in the 'Gair Mumkin (uncultivable) Pahar' category which is covered 'under Aravalli notification dated May 7, 1992, for which permission from the competent authority is required for its use for construction activities," the report said.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Manesar resident Ram Avatar Yadav alleging that non-forest activities were being carried out by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on 260 acres of forest land comprising of Aravali plantation and uncultivable land in Mandawar village in Gurugram without any forest clearance.

The applicant referred to a notice issued by the Forest Department, Haryana on November 2, 2019 to the Commandant, CISF, District Gurugram and the Director General, CISF, New Delhi.

The plea alleged that the area is a wildlife corridor and felling of trees will be illegal and adversely impact the air quality.