Disposing of a petition pertaining to compensatory tree plantations along highways during construction or widening, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Zone, has emphasised efforts should be made for such plantations in the same area as far as possible.
The NGT said government must take into account the area needed for avenue plantation before taking up any highway road project.
The NGT bench of Justice Dalip Singh emphasised this in reply to the state government which cited lack of availability of land along the roads many a time forcing them to go for compensatory plantation at some other location instead of along the roads.
"There cannot be any substitute to the avenue plantation. Looking at the fact that trees in a particular area have been cut while carrying out the task of new construction or widening of the road, effort should be made to plant trees by way of compensatory afforestation in the same area as far as possible," the bench observed in its order while disposing off the petition filed by an environmentalist Babu Lal Jajoo.
Also stressing translocation of tress, the bench said "we are of the view that the state needs to develop expertise in association with other expert authorities and states which have successfully carried out translocation of trees and ensure their survival also."
For this, specialised equipment, needs to be procured by the construction agencies particularly the highway authorities and PWD and a special cell needs to be created under the Forest Department with proper expertise in the field so that they may guide and give proper inputs to constructing agencies for the purpose so that felling of trees, which should be the last resort, can be avoided, it said.
During the previous hearing on the application, the bench had given detailed directions to the government on October 12 ensuring adequate plantation in ratio of the plants felled, not only by way of fresh plantation but translocation of existing trees as far as possible making sure they survive.
The bench had also directed the government to set up a GPS cell under the Forest Department to keep any eye on the forest cover, plantation and survival of the plants, nature and species of the plant in acclimatisation with the climate of the region.
