The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a major directive to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) regarding the alleged illegal felling of 33 trees at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) located in Varanasi. The NGT instructed the UPPCB to complete the process of recovering environmental compensation amounting to ₹26,506,877.08 from the university within three months.
Order and Compliance Timeline
This amount was determined based on the assessment of illegal tree felling on the university campus. The bench, comprising NGT Chairman Judge Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmed, made this decision on July 7, with the official notification published on Thursday. The bench noted that the UPPCB had already conducted an assessment of the environmental compensation amount and initiated the recovery procedure.
Delay and Extension of Period
In its order, the NGT stated that the UPPCB had previously been directed to complete all actions within three months in August 2025. However, since the Council failed to meet the stipulated deadline, the Tribunal granted an additional period of three months to finalize the entire process.
Case History and Investigation
The case originated from a petition filed by lawyer Saurabh Tiwari. This complaint alleged mass illegal destruction of trees on the BHU campus, which spans approximately 1300 acres. Following the review of this complaint, the NGT formed a joint investigation committee. The committee established that only 33 trees were illegally felled: seven were sandalwood trees, and the remaining 26 belonged to other species.
Recovery Process and Delays
Based on the committee's report, the NGT directed the UPPCB to assess the environmental compensation and complete the recovery process within three months in August 2025. When the set deadline passed without completion of actions, the petitioner Saurabh Tiwari filed an enforcement application with the Tribunal, demanding the compulsory execution of the previous order. According to the petitioner, the UPPCB informed him that the recovery of environmental compensation could not commence due to certain High Court and Supreme Court orders.
Current Status and Compensatory Plantations
During a recent hearing, the lawyer representing the UPPCB informed the Tribunal that the environmental compensation amount had already been determined, and the recovery process had been launched. Subsequently, the Tribunal ordered an extended period to complete all actions. A report presented by the Divisional Forest Officer was also considered during the hearing. The report stated that the university planted a total of 978 saplings in 2025 as part of compensatory afforestation, of which 859 were deemed alive and healthy during inspection.
Requirements for Process Completion
The Tribunal acknowledged the progress made in compensatory afforestation but clearly emphasized that the environmental compensation recovery process is a separate procedure that must also be completed within the stipulated time. The UPPCB must now complete all legal procedures related to environmental compensation within three months to comply with the Tribunal's order. Further action in this matter will be closely monitored.