The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and real estate major DLF to give an undertaking that they will not cut trees in sectors 55-56 of Gurgaon without permission of the competent authority.
A vacation bench of NGT headed by Justice P Jyothimani has granted time till June 6 to the agency and the real estate major to file their undertakings.
"We direct that this matter to be listed on June 6, 2013, so as to enable the respondents (HUDA and DLF) to file an affidavit giving undertaking not to cut the trees in the disputed site pending disposal of the application except with specific approval of the competent authority," the bench said.
The tribunal also directed the Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB) to "file an appropriate affidavit as to whether the project requires environment clearance" by the next date.
The directions came on a plea of the residents of a nearby housing society, National Media Centre (NMC), who challenged the permission given to HUDA by the district forest department to cut the trees in the area stretching from Shankar Chowk to sectors 55-56 in Gurgaon.
They have alleged that the trees are being cut to expand an already existing sector road which connects to the National Highway 8.
The residents of NMC have also alleged that as the area falls on NH 8, any expansion should have been undertaken by the National Highway Authority of India.
