NGT directs BRO to plant 10k trees at Simli to Gwaldam highway in Uttrakhand

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Border Roads Organization (BRO) to plant 10,000 trees in Uttrakhand for trees felled for construction of road from Simli to Gwaldam.

These directions came in response to the plea alleging violation of environmental norms by BRO, while constructing the road in a “strategically sensitive” and ecologically fragile area.

“BRO will take appropriate steps for the plantation of at least ten thousand trees (10,000) in coordination with the concerned DFO within one month from today” said the Principal bench.

It was alleged that “illegal cutting” of trees and dumping of muck by those at several places and damage to the environment leading to drying up of water resources was made.

The Tribunal opined measures are also required to be taken to prevent the landslides which have been occurred in the relevant stretch.

Tribunal noted that according to joint Committee Report against 4047 number of trees permitted to be felled in the forest area, numbers of trees actually felled in the forest area were 3814 and numbers of trees actually felled in the private area were 435.

The report also said that 17 incidents of landslides were observed along the entire stretch from Simli to Gwaldam and that a joint mechanism needed to be developed between the BRO and the forest department for monitoring the landslide events, assessing the damage to the vegetation and treating the sites with appropriate measures, the bench noted

It was further alleged that muck disposal in river had narrowed down the width of river and blasting in the hills carried out by the contractor was in violation of the norms resulting into landslides.