The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Haryana government to respond to allegations of ongoing illegal land filling and tree felling in South City-1, Sector 41, Gurgaon. Residents have complained that a court-appointed inspection committee failed to examine several affected sites.
Petitioners' Allegations
The case stems from a petition filed by Brigadier Paramjit Singh and others, who alleged large-scale filling with debris and earth in parts of South City-1, along with unauthorized tree felling. During the latest hearing, the petitioners informed the tribunal that illegal filling was still occurring and that the joint committee constituted by the NGT had only inspected specific spots shown in photographs, leaving much of South City-1 uncovered.
NGT's Direction
The NGT bench, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice A Senthil Vel, and Expert Member Dr. Afroz Ahmad, directed the Haryana government to examine the grievance and file its response within four weeks. The matter is next listed for hearing on July 28.
Background of the Case
The case dates back to September 2024, when the NGT first took cognizance of the allegations regarding illegal tree felling. The petitioners had submitted photographs to the tribunal and alleged that an RTI query to the Haryana forest department received a vague reply. Inspection of records revealed no detailed information on whether permission for tree felling had been granted or rejected.
The petitioners argued that the area falls under protected land where tree felling is prohibited for 15 years, citing a notification under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900. They also invoked the Supreme Court’s 2022 judgment in Narender Singh & Ors vs Divesh Bhutani & Ors, contending that provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 continue to apply in the area. Despite multiple complaints to various authorities, no action had been taken.
Previous Tribunal Action
Finding that the application raised substantial issues relating to compliance with scheduled enactments, the tribunal had issued notices to respondents and constituted a joint committee comprising representatives of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), the Deputy Commissioner, and the District Magistrate of Gurgaon. The committee was directed to visit the site, verify the allegations of illegal tree felling, and identify those responsible if the allegations were found to be true.
At the latest hearing, however, the petitioners alleged that the committee’s inspection remained limited to a handful of spots shown in photographs and did not cover all locations where illegal filling was purportedly taking place. This grievance has prompted the tribunal to seek a fresh response from the state government.
