Greater Noida: NGT impleads UPSIDA as respondent in tree felling case

GREATER NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) to be included as a respondent in a case concerning the alleged illegal felling of nearly 1,000 trees at a Greater Noida factory.

The matter, taken up suo motu by the tribunal, was triggered by media reports about the alleged tree activity on a 203-acre property in Surajpur area. Vikrant Tongad, a local environmentalist, had raised the issue after which the forest department swung into action and sealed the premises. A case against the private firm under the Tree Protection Act, 1976, Section 4 and 10 was also registered.

Tongad apprised the NGT during a recent hearing that the site is currently under UPSIDA’s control at its Kanpur complex and accepting his request, the NGT has directed that a notice be served to the authority.

Hearing the case on October 14, counsel for the respondents that include principal chief conservator of forest, UP, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), UP forest corporation, and district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, informed the bench that 980 trees were illegally cut, with the authorities arresting two individuals and sealing gate 1 of the 203-acre premises involved.

The tribunal accepted Tongad’s request to add UPSIDA as a respondent, directing that a notice be served to the authority and its response submitted at least a week before the next hearing on February 3, 2025.

An NGT bench chaired by justice Prakash Shrivastava stated, “Learned counsel appearing for the respondents has informed that on June 10, 2024, the intimation relating to illegal felling of trees in the concerned premises was received and the authorities on the visit had found that 980 trees were cut and therefore two persons were arrested and cases registered against them. He further submits that on June 25, 2024 again the intimation was received therefore the access to the premises comprising 203 acres by gate number 1 has been sealed.”

“Initial application has been filed for intervention and for direction in the matter. Learned counsel for the state seeks four weeks to obtain instructions on these initial applications. Learned counsel for the intervenor (Tongad) has pointed out that presently the premises is under the control of UPSIDA and thus, it is required to be impleaded as respondent,” the bench stated.

The site, formerly occupied by Daewoo Motors, has long been at the centre of controversy over alleged improper land use and regulatory violations. The tree felling incident first came to the fore in June 2024, when around 1,000 fully-grown trees were felled allegedly by a private firm without approval of the forest department.

“The involvement of UPSIDA in the case adds a layer of complexity, as the authority oversees industrial development in UP, including management of several disputed properties. NGT’s move to rope in UPSIDA reflects its intention to hold all relevant stakeholders accountable and prevent further environmental violations,” said PK Srivastava, divisional forest officer.

In July, the NGT took suo-motu cognisance and had sought their responses from the respondents.