With continued threat to the Taj Mahal due to pollution around it, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a report into illegal felling of trees in the eco-sensitive zone around the monument by December 16.
- A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar gave this direction to advocate activist and lawyer C. Mehta, who was appointed as local commissioner to enquire into felling of 4,000 trees around the Taj by December 16.
Taj Mahal tree cutting incident
The former Agra DFO had cut 8,000 trees in Babupur and around 4,000 trees in 500-metre-radius of the Taj Mahal in 2011-12, which is an eco-sensitive zone mandated by the Supreme Court.
- About 80 per cent of adult trees in the area have been allegedly felled.
- The trees in this zone cannot be felled without the permission of the apex court.
- The NGT had in July taken suo motu cognizance of the media report about the incident.
The Supreme Court had earlier rapped the Uttar Pradesh government for making false claims on plantation of trees in the Taj trapezium zone to protect the Taj Mahal from pollution.
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